


The Recluse and the Mercenary

by achilleanvillain



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: BlueLions!Bernie, Eventual relationship, F/M, Fluff, Some potential angst, since thats how my playthrough went, spans from pre-war to post-war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2020-10-12 20:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 23,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20570297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/achilleanvillain/pseuds/achilleanvillain
Summary: The archer girl at Garreg Mach Monastery was almost entirely reclusive - until she took a liking to the mysterious new Professor. Together, the two will forge a new future for Fódlan.(M!Byleth x Bernadetta fic, Blue Lions route. Spans from pre-war to post-war. Spoilers in the second half.)





	1. Bernie, You Have To Train

Byleth knew that trying to organize the entire class together for training was difficult at the best of times. Ever since Bernadetta had numbered among his students, it had become more true than ever. Just two months after the young professor had arrived at the monastery, the violet-haired archer, eyes pointed firmly downwards, had ran up to him and stammered out a plea to join his house. Despite her seeming fondness for the professor, the quiet recluse had a habit of going absent without leave on any day when a large grouping of students was required. Of course, it didn’t exactly take a crestologist to figure out where she was on these days; so now, Byleth had delegated command of the training to his house leader, Dimitri, and went on a now-familiar walk to Bernadetta’s dormitory.

A quick rap on the door was met without a sudden shriek, muffled by the closed door. “G-go away! I don’t want to come out!” came the reply, after a few seconds.

“Bernie. It’s me. You really need to practice your archery. It’s really critical.”

“I’m really sorry, professor. I just... don’t have the energy for it today.” Now that she knew it was the professor who had sent for her, her response was noticeably less terse, though no more yielding.

“I know it can be hard for you, Bernie - but you won’t be able to pass any of your certifications if you don’t hone your skills. Plus, part of fighting is working as a team. You need to be able to trust those you’re fighting with,” came Byleth’s kind yet firm response. A minute passed as silence filled the air. Byleth spoke up again. “Can I come in for a bit?”

That got a response. “NO! No. Sorry. Speaking through the door is fine for now.” The sharp panic faded to a quiet murmur. “Can I come practice later tonight, once people are done? I know, I know, I’m supposed to ‘build relationships’ but…” She trailed off, but the import of her statement was clear.

Byleth thought to himself for a second. It was unorthodox, and it certainly wouldn’t build any sense of teamwork, but some practice was better than none. Plus, perhaps taking it in small steps would help her prepare for larger scale interactions. “Okay, Bernie. That will work. Just this once, though, alright?”

Bernadetta’s reply was swift, and the cheer in her voice was only barely contained. “Oh, thank you professor! Um, come get me whenever you’re ready.”  
With a short farewell, Byleth, hopeful that he had reached some sort of helpful compromise for his students, began the return to the training grounds. He gave a knowing look to Dimitri as he began running the rest of his class through their training regimens.

* * *

By 9 p.m., all the rest of his students had either gone off to the dining hall or retired to their room, so Byleth had fetched his timid archer and was now watching as she filled a training dummy with arrow after arrow. He counted down again. “Three. Two. Fire!” An arrow flew from the archer’s bow, landing squarely in the forehead of the dummy. Compared to her stuttering tone when asked to participate with the class, she looked so confident it was as if a different woman had taken her place. “Great job, Bernie. You’re doing so well, I’m extremely proud of your progress.” Bernadetta’s face lit up at the compliment. “I do wish that you would participate in our group practices though.”

With that, she averted her gaze away from Byleth. “I, um. I feel more comfortable when it’s just with you. Is that okay?” If Byleth wasn’t imagining things, it almost looked like her face was slightly flushed.

“Listen, I know it’s tough. We’ll keep working on it, and I’ll be with you every step of the way, okay?” Byleth didn’t want to relent, but her worries pulled at his heartstrings. “The dining hall should still be open. There might be some cake left, or if not, maybe we can whip up some ice cream or something? You did really well today.” The two walked leisurely through the courtyards towards the now empty dining hall, Byleth stopping the workers there from closing things down as the two took a table.  
Bernadetta became lost in thought while waiting for Byleth to return with food. Admittedly, she hadn’t expected to put so much effort into her training that night - she really was tired, after all, it wasn’t just the anxiety. But after seeing the expectant look of the young professor, she knew she had to put everything into it. It was worth it to see how happy it made him. Suddenly, a small tap on her shoulder broke her from her daydream. After making a noise somewhere partway between a scream and a squeak, she turned to see that Byleth had returned with two plates, holding two differently sized slices of cake. Byleth handed the one with the significantly larger slice to her, then sat down with his own.

“Sorry, they didn’t have much left. I made sure to give you the bigger part though.” The professor smiled sheepishly.

“Oh… thank you, I appreciate it.” Bernie began to take quick bites of her slice, looking intently at Byleth’s face, trying to divine his intentions. She wasn’t sure if she was about to be praised for her hard work or scolded for trying to hide away in her room. Frankly, she thought, it didn’t matter if she was able to practice with others - she was planning to hide away as much as possible. She didn’t want to fight.

“I’m really glad you’re working on this, Bernie,” Byleth started with a smile. “It means a lot to me. I really want to see you succeed.”

Bernadetta was flustered. She wasn’t used to this level of praise, but she also knew Byleth could only care about this since she was already such a failure, right? She had to apologize for her poor conduct. “I’m sorry Professor, I’m such a useless student I never do anything right. I can’t even do practice at the right-”

Byleth cut her off. “No, no. Please, don’t be mean to yourself. You’re pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. That means a lot to me. I’m so happy you’re doing so, okay? I’ll stay with you until you feel ready to practice with the others.” He flashed her a small smile, then thought back to his previous words. “Well, I mean. I suppose I’ll still be there even then. I want to make you reach your pinnacle. You’re going to be such a skilled archer. I suppose there’s even some selfishness to it - you have a natural talent for it, I can barely hold a bow to save my life. I was hoping you could teach me at some point. When you’re a little more comfortable of course.”

Her… teach him? She didn’t know how to react. She couldn’t imagine being relied on in such a way, and yet, she felt compelled to respond with an enthusiastic “Of course I can teach you!” She caught her own enthusiasm, continuing with a “I mean, what little I do know.”  
Byleth chuckled slightly. “When you feel like you’re ready. I’d like you to become a bit more confident first, but… it would be nice, I think.”

“We can go now, if you want! I can show you-”

“I know you’re excited, Bernie, but it’s late. I think you should go get some sleep. Tomorrow is the day off, though - if it would help build your confidence, I could come by your room and have a chat again tomorrow?”

“That sounds wonderful.” Bernadetta replied with a smile.

“Will I be allowed to open the door this time?”  
“Um… we’ll see. I still think I might be more comfortable with the door in the way for now.”

With a laugh, Byleth took their two empty plates away, and Bernadetta returned to her room. She couldn’t believe that the Professor himself had asked her to show him how to wield a bow. It felt unreal. She couldn’t explain why, but she felt so comfortable around him. She wasn’t ready yet to leave her room often but… occasionally, if it was with him, maybe that was okay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I love these two. I plan to update this story with these two's relationship throughout the route, all the way through to their ending. Bernadetta is such a wonderful character for me and I hope you love her and Byleth too.


	2. Peacetime Tea Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I found out that one of the lost items for Bernie was a hedgehog case, I had to write this. Please enjoy!

Despite the supposed nature of it, Byleth often found the “free day” exhausting. Between myriad threats on the horizon which promised handsome rewards for dispatching them and the seemingly endless tasks the kind folk of the monastery requested, he hardly had time for the few diversions he allowed himself. Today, it was sorting through the pile of lost items that careless students had dropped throughout the monastery grounds. It wasn’t exactly the most enjoyable activity, but Byleth felt he had some responsibility to his students to help when he could.

After a brisk walk through the monastery grounds to scout for lost things, Byleth carried several sentimental items, sorting through them in an attempt to divine who could have lost what. A glove that looked entirely too pristine for having been lost? He believed he’d seen Edelgard where something similar to this to at one point. A flask - he was all too familiar with this one, having seen his father nurse from this flask more times than he could count back during their mercenary days. A small, hedgehog-themed pencil case… oh! He had seen Bernadetta use this in class. She had seemed quite fond of it. Perhaps she had left it behind in class? Byleth began making a mental map of the monastery, trying to determine the most efficient way to return all these items, before stopping himself. He put the hedgehog case in the back of the pile. He wanted to talk with Bernie after, so he should probably go there last.

It should have been an easy set of tasks, at least. After running around the whole monastery twice looking for Edelgard and getting lectured by Jeralt (and, admittedly, stopping off at the pond for a quick bit of fishing), the sun was already threatening to set. Hurriedly, hedgehog case in hand, the professor went from pondside to the dormitory. Byleth waited at the door for a moment, reined in his haste so his knock would not startle the archer inside, and then gently knocked at the door.

“Bernie?” the professor asked, tentatively. “I found this little case in the classroom, I thought it might be yours?”

Her response was, as always, timid; however, it was surprisingly positive for someone knocking on her door unprompted. “Oh. Thank you Professor. Can… can you leave it at the door? Thank you.”

“Well, it’s not that late yet. I was actually wondering if you wanted to have some tea? I found this really nice, sweet blend I think you’d enjoy.”

“T-tea… Um, I’d like to, but I don’t really want to come out…”

“I can find us a spot in the courtyard that’s quiet, if you’d prefer.”

“That would be nice. If you’re sure it’ll be quiet.”

Before long, the two had set up a table in a slightly shrouded portion of grass behind the Officer’s Academy, where hopefully no prying eyes would come to bother them. Byleth placed down a small plate of pastries and carefully poured two cups of tea, as a fruity aroma filled the air. Bernadetta cautiously touched the side of the cup to attempt to pick it up, before pulling her hand away. Too hot. Her now returned hedgehog case in her lap, she fidgeted with it slightly, avoiding eye contact, until Byleth began to make conversation.

“So, what have you been doing on your day off?”

Bernadetta clearly was not used to answering personal questions like this. “I mostly laid in bed for the morning. I know that’s not very exciting. I got some reading done later though.”

Byleth’s eyes lit up. Finally! Something to draw in her interest. “Oh? What were you reading, Bernie?”

Bernadetta smiled, seemingly excited to share her literary interests. “It’s a story of two knights, who fall in love on the battlefield. They become so in tune with each other’s fighting style that they become inseparable. It’s - it’s really good!”

“Interesting!” Byleth knew he didn’t particularly have time to read, but he was interested. He decided to dig a little deeper. “Do you think I’d like it?”

Bernadette’s gaze flitted away as she formulated a response. “I don’t know if you’d like it. Some of the romance scenes get a little heavy. It’s, um…” She didn’t want to talk about that content, but she also certainly didn’t want people to find out she had read that. To prevent an awkward silence, she instead tried to take another sip of her too. Still too hot! She picked up one of the small sweets Byleth had brought and popped it into her mouth. She couldn’t help but notice that the professor had picked out some of her favorites to bring to the teatime.

Byleth sensed the girl’s unease and decided to change the topic. “Oh, it’s no worry. I hope you enjoy the rest of the book. Tell me about the little case. Do you like hedgehogs?”

Again, another smile out of Bernie. He had really been doing well at this whole conversation thing. “I love all kinds of cute little animals! Hedgehogs are my favorite though. They have a hard time adjusting well to humans, and they often end up putting up their spikes. They remind me… well, a lot of myself.”

“I don’t know if you’re quite as small as a hedgehog. It might be harder to hide.”

“Professor! That’s not the point. They’re just cute, and they like to hide, and I think that’s wonderful.”

Byleth gave a large, earnest smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.” His tea had finally cooled, and he drained it in two large swigs. Force of habit from his mercenary days, perhaps. Not a great deal of time to enjoy your food and drink on the battlefield, that had been ingrained into him for almost all of his young life. He stood up and walked over to the railing on the edge of the monastery. From here, one could see all the surrounding lands of Garreg Mach, until the horizon was swallowed up by the nearby hills and mountains. He surveyed the lands, before he felt a bump on his side. Without him noticing, his teatime companion had stood up and joined his side, eyes analyzing the lay of the land.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Byleth said, almost as if he was describing a dream. Bernadetta made a small noise, apparently in agreement. “You know, Bernie, someday I want to visit all the lands of Fódlan. I know it might be hard to imagine now, but someday far in the future, I think it would be nice if you joined me.” Byleth realized how strange that might sound, and quickly amended his statement. “And the others, of course. But I want you to be there with them.”

“That’s scary to think about, Professor.”

“I know it is now. I’ll be with you until you’re ready.”

The two stood in contented silence for a while longer, watching the winds of the Blue Sea Moon cause gentle movement in the fields. Shortly after, the sunset was on the horizon, and after securing a promise that Bernadetta make it to class tomorrow, Byleth saved the rest of the pastries in a bag for her and sent her on her way. However, instead of returning to his quarters, Byleth had another stop to make. Briskly making his way through the monastery, Byleth had to shrug off conversation with Hanneman and Manuela, who had asked to share their knowledge with the new professor, to speak with the traveling merchants who made their posts at the monastery gates. Frankly, his request was unorthodox, but the merchants happened to have a few spare bits and bobs that would suffice. He’d just have to sew what he wanted made himself. He supposed he could manage it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading. Going to try to update every 3 days for now.


	3. Hedged Bets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth is overworking himself, but it's for a good cause.

The next week was slightly frantic for the professor. Classes still had to take place, and moreover his class had to prepare to protect the Goddess’ Rite of Rebirth. It seemed likely that some sort of attack would take place there, and Byleth was committed to making sure his students were prepared, both for their safety and the safety of the rite. Even ignoring his extremely pressing concerns as the professor for his house, his late hours and any free moment he could spare working on his side project. The other professors hadn’t even bothered asking why when Byleth spent the first evening scouring the storeroom for a set of sewing supplies. They were used to his strange antics. He didn’t quite act like any of the others at the monastery, but perhaps that uniqueness is what made him so popular with the students.

After class each day, Byleth would grab whatever food was available from the dining hall and steal away to his room. He’d eat quickly, and then get to work. Sewing a little bit, pricking his finger. Sewing more, becoming frustrated with the result of his work and starting over (or turning back time, if Sothis was amenable at the time). By the end of the week, the small object he was creating was nearly complete. He merely had to stuff it with some small bits of cotton he had procured, and put it all together. Then, his little gift would be complete.

Of course, “merely” is a word that can sometimes mask how much there truly is to be done. Byleth was not a master of this craft, merely a novice spurred on by a desire to create something for someone important to him. He worked through the whole night on this project, but he was able to finish it, to a reasonable degree at least, by morning. He stumbled out of his quarters, only to be noticed by a student wandering nearby - Claude.

“Hey, Teach! You look… like a disaster, did you not sleep well?”

“I, uh…” Byleth was exhausted. He struggled to come up with the right words. “Important professorial business kept me up. I have a few more things to do and then I’m going to… get some rest. Can you tell Dimitri that everyone should rest for me?”  
“Uh, sure thing, Teach. Get some rest, alright?”

Byleth did not have time yet to get rest. He had to deliver this gift now before he was able to sleep. He ran to the dormitories, tied the small object to the doorknob of his recipient, then finally made his way back to his quarters and slept the rest of the day away.

The one time Bernadetta did leave her room that day to get some food, she found a small stuffed hedgehog on her door. It wasn’t perfect, and its face was slightly askew, but she couldn’t be happier. She brought it inside and gave it a premiere spot on her counter next to her plants.

* * *

The next day, before class started, Bernadetta showed up early. That was unusual. She had a spring in her step, barely seeming forced out of her room at all. Also unusual.  
“Professor! Thank you so much for the gift! I love it.”

Byleth feigned ignorance. “Hm? A gift? I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Don’t try and pretend, professor. You were the only one I talked to about hedgehogs.” In her hands, she clutched the tiny hedgehog plush the professor had made.

The professor raised his hands in mock resignation. “Alright, alright, you got me. I’m glad you liked it. I really do think it fits you. Are you going to give it a name?”

She had, but she didn’t want to admit it. “Um, I don’t know yet. I’m thinking about it.” She gently placed the plush back atop her bag. She didn’t want to admit she had already taken to referring to it as Byleth.

“Well, I’m glad you like it but do be sure to keep up with your training. Hedgehogs won’t defend the Rebirth of Seiros, after all.”

Bernadetta sheepishly nodded, and seemed to quiet down and become less open as more people trickled into the room. The boisterous personalities of the rest of her class still seemed to unsettle her slightly, but Byleth was glad to see her genuinely happy and excited before class. Despite her explicit request to join his class, he hadn’t seen her so enthused during class ever before.

Back in her room after class, Bernadetta sat on her bed, holding the stuffed toy to her chest. The professor she admired had thought about her after their teatime conversation, enough for him to create something just for her! She had to work harder now, try to get herself out of her room more - she couldn’t let him down. Even if it would be hard. She tried to imagine getting outside, being social. Alright, well, maybe it would have to be a slow process. But she wanted to spend every moment she could at his side. Perhaps the Goddess’ Rite of Rebirth would be a good place to show him how she had learned well from her training and was capable of fighting with the group?

She gave herself a little pep talk. “Alright, Bernie. This week, we’ve got to protect the rite. Just stay by his side, and don’t panic when you’ve got to take shots. Remember that he cares about you. You can do this.” She curled up in bed, falling into a peaceful sleep with her new plush at her side.

She dreamt of herself and Byleth amid a windy field, the two of them surrounded by brigands. Despite the number of foes, this was no nightmare. They fought together beautifully, like a dance. Byleth’s blade would effortlessly parry a strike coming for her, and her arrows would fell those who would harm him. They fought, and they fought, and when they had slain every enemy who dared to encroach upon them, she embraced the boy she admired with all her strength, the two huddling together to rest. It was the happiest dream she’d had in as long as she could remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the fluff has sated you - there may be some angst next time! :o


	4. Rebirth and Regret

The day had come. The Goddess’ Rite of Rebirth was scheduled to take place today. Byleth and his students lined up outside the chapel, confirming the plans. Byleth still prayed that nothing would occur and the intel they got was merely a misunderstanding, but above that he prayed that if something did occur, it would be dispatched quickly and safely. Every one of his students had been trained well for this day, and they all knew where to patrol, what to guard, and emergency procedure in case a larger group showed up. (The emergency procedure was, of course, retreat to the professor who will handle it.)

Byleth looked up from the map of the monastery he had been poring over. His students, with various levels of excitement and anxiety, stood around the table with him. “Alright. Are we all clear on where we’re going to patrol. Sylvain, Ingrid, you take the right flank. Annette, Mercedes, the left; and myself, Bernadetta, Felix, and Ashe will guard the center. Dimitri and Dedue, you’ll patrol the monastery’s perimeter for incoming hostiles.” With an ensemble of noises in agreement, each member of the group went to their assigned location. The largest group, Byleth and Bernadetta among them, headed for the chapel center.

The group posted up around the consecrated coffins, ready and waiting for any disturbance or noise. After several hours, the rites were nearly complete, and Byleth breathed an early sigh of relief. “Well, it seems like it was probably nothing to worry about. We’re almost done and then we can go have a big celebration feast.” Byleth attempted to raise the spirits of his comrades who, despite their vigilance, were rather bored with the whole affair. Before any of them could begin to even think about celebration; however, running was heard from down the halls. Sylvain burst through the door.

“Professor! There are enemies approaching! Get ready for a fight!” Ugh. Of course, they couldn’t have been lucky enough for there to not be a fight. There was nothing to be done, he supposed, but try to dispatch the incursion quickly. With a few quick hand signals, his small group of retainers got into a defensible position, weapons at the ready. Byleth stood in the middle - if anyone was going to attract the attention of the invaders, he wanted it to be him. He was far more practiced as a fighter. He could handle it.

Before long, enemies barreled into the chapel. Sword in hand, Byleth took to dispatching them. This… wasn’t standard thieves and brigands as they had once dealt with, though. These were trained soldiers. He could recognize the tactics from his mercenary days - they were better than average. His mind couldn’t quite work fast enough to deal with all of them. He had to call upon the powers of the mysterious girl in his mind more than once, and it was tiring him out.

He couldn’t help but notice that, perhaps out of worry, Bernadetta had come closer and closer to him, standing by his side firing out arrows at his enemies. She had really become quite slick with the bow. By his side, she fought like a woman possessed. That being said, he’d have to caution her not to move so far up, an archer should really stay to the back in case-

Byleth’s thoughts were cut short by a charging brigand. He wasn’t coming for him, as one might imagine, he was coming for Bernie. In an instant, Byleth reacted, grabbing Bernadetta and moving out of the way.

* * *

He was quick enough, mostly. The archer had a nasty cut on her arm, sure, but nothing that was threatening. She’d have to rest up for a while. Byleth really didn’t have the energy to turn back time again, so that was out of the question. The real issue was now that Bernadetta had fainted from the shock. Past experiences in the monastery with other students had shown that she was somewhat prone to passing out from stress. In the heat of the moment, he had neglected the enemy coming for him. Luckily, someone else had taken care of it - he hadn’t the thought process to figure out who at the moment. As soon as he was sure the battle had cleared, he rushed Bernadetta to the infirmary. It wasn’t serious, sure; but he wasn’t about to risk it. He wouldn’t let any of his students get hurt. Especially not her.

Once Bernadetta was laying in a comfortable bed in the infirmary, Byleth was able to relax slightly. In a chair near the bed, his mind wandered to the sheer single-mindedness with which that brigand had charged. Why in Fódlan would a single soldier charge a backline archer, alone? Bernadetta was learning to be a skilled archer, but she certainly wasn’t that much of a high value target. He tried to banish the thought from his mind. A fluke mistake on the brigand’s part, surely. In one of the chairs in the infirmary, he fell into a terse, light sleep. Byleth didn’t ever really fall into heavy sleep. Mercenary practice, he supposed.

* * *

Bernadetta woke from her shock-induced sleep to find herself in the infirmary. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. She was prone to fainting, and people tended to worry when she did, so she’d woken up here more than once. This was the first time she’d ever felt this much pain. She tried to raise her arm. She could, but it hurt like the eternal flames. She decided to keep it still. Nearby, her professor sat in one of the chairs near the bed, asleep. It certainly didn’t look like a comfortable sleep, but - did that mean he had been watching over her? She banished the thought from her mind. He had probably just come here to chastise her for foolishly getting injured during the fight. She hadn’t even woken up in time for him to do so. She knew she was worthless.

Her self-loathing was cut short when Manuela walked into the room. “Oh, you’re awake, Bernie!” Manuela smiled, holding some gauze. “You’re very lucky your professor was there with you. He says he grabbed you out of the way of some really dangerous foes. You probably would have been hurt much worse had he not been there.”

Bernadetta couldn’t feel this as anything but her personal failing, as usual. “Ah, he must be so upset with me. I knew I wasn’t ready to fight.”

Manuela responded in a calm tone, but with a hint of a smirk on her face. “No, no, Bernie. He seemed much more worried about you, not cross at all. In fact, he wanted to stay here until you got better. I’d wake him up, but he needs the rest anyway. He works hard for all his students. Especially you.”

Those last two words sent static through Bernie’s brain. What did that mean? She couldn’t possibly mean… no, she couldn’t dare to dream of something like that. But at the very least, it seemed Byleth wasn’t angry with her, and that was able to ease her worries slightly.

Manuela continued. “As for your injury, it’s really not too severe. You really lucked out. I wouldn’t train for a few weeks if I were you, but that’s all. Go ahead and get some more rest, it’ll help.”

Bernadetta didn’t need to hear that twice. Despite her earlier involuntary sleep, she was still exhausted. She laid her head down, weary eyes fixated on her sleeping savior. Were she any more awake, she would have stopped herself from having the last thought she had before sleep - he looked pretty cute, asleep like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, she'll be okay, she just needs some rest.


	5. How To Train (Without A Bow)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bernie is still injured, so there has to be another way to get lessons done.

Honestly, Bernadetta didn’t mind the inability to train quite so much. Unfortunately, she did miss the one-on-one training sessions that had become common between her and the professor. Instead, Bernie was in the corner of the training grounds, as cloistered as she could be without being in her room, watching the professor shoot a bow instead. To keep his injured student company, he was practicing with her style of weapon in the corner of the grounds where she had sat to keep distance between her and the rest of the group. He wasn’t quite as practiced with a bow as with a sword - a missed shot here, an arrow nocked too slowly there - but she couldn’t take his eyes off of him. His back muscles were well trained. With a little more practice, his shots could be truly devastating. But his stance was wrong, and he was trying to go to fast for his level of skill. Well, she had promised to train him at some point, after all, hadn’t she?

“Professor?” Bernadetta requested Byleth’s attention with a shaky tone of voice that still showed more confidence than she had with most of her other classmates.

Byleth lowered his bow, turning to the archer girl with kindness in his eyes. “Is something wrong, Bernadetta?”

“I just… and I don’t want to be mean, but I noticed your stance was slightly off. Can I show you?”

“I’d love to learn from the master.” Byleth said, only partially tongue-in-cheek.

Slightly flustered, Bernadetta had Byleth mime a shooting position, and gently moved his arms into the correct positions. Slight adjustments were all that was required in some areas, but the way he was standing had to be changed entirely. Her quiet suggestions were followed dutifully by the professor, who was as happy to receive the advice as he was to have Bernadetta genuinely interested and excited about training, even though she couldn’t actually fire a bow at the moment.

“Okay, now when you nock the arrow, try and slow down a little.” Bernie wasn’t used to speaking with such authority. “Ah! I mean, I don’t mean to say that you aren’t good, I don’t want to-”  
Her worries were cut off by the twang of a bowstring. Byleth had made a perfect shot. “All thanks to you.” He said with a smile. “Your instruction is really helpful. Practice again sometime?”

Bernie was thrilled, but also didn’t have the courage to meet her professor’s eyes. “Um, yeah! Absolutely! Especially since I can’t train much anyway right now.”

“Glad to hear it. Let me know if your arm gets any worse, but hopefully if you keep it wrapped up it should be good to go in a week or so.”

With Byleth’s farewell, Bernadetta retreated to hide in a corner of the grounds as the professor and the rest of the students left to go eat. She may be slightly more comfortable around the rest of the group, but that certainly didn’t mean that she was fully comfortable, and she much preferred to let the rest leave so she could sneak back to her room. However, one student stayed around, asking to talk to her - the casanova cavalier, Sylvain.

Bernadetta was not used to her classmates trying to initiate conversation with her at all. She shrunk back into the corner she was standing in. “W-what do you want? Go away!”

Sylvain raised his hands, almost as if he was offering peace. “Nothing’s wrong, don’t worry. I just wanted to let you know that if you need any help talking to Byleth, or you need a wingman or whatever, I can help you out. I mean, I have less experience talking to guys, but I still have enough to be able to help you out, I think.”

Bernadetta was puzzled. She hadn’t told anyone about her budding feelings for the mercenary boy, yet here Sylvain was, offering his assistance unprompted. “Is it really that obvious?” She hid her face in her hands.

Sylvain softened his tone of voice. “I mean, kinda. I know that we weren’t at the monastery for long before he arrived, but I still couldn’t imagine you leaving your room for anyone until he arrived. And also, I read one of your manuscripts you were working on, and the blue-haired professor who was romancing the protagonist did remind me of him somewhat. But there’s nothing wrong with that! You clearly like him a lot and hey, I think you’ve probably got a pretty good shot with him. He clearly cares about you.”

Bernadetta’s face rose from her hands, a mix of anxiety and hope in her eyes. “You think so?”

Sylvain gave the nervous girl a wink. “Hey, all I’ll say is I don’t think anyone else here has gotten private lessons, tea, and gotten their life saved and cared for by him. I mean, there is the monastery ball coming up - I figure you probably weren’t intending on going, right?” Bernadetta gave a slight nod, and he continued. “So go, and take the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with him! Hey, maybe you’ll even get a dance from him.”

Bernadetta’s voice was slightly shaky, but she sounded much more positive than she had at the start of the conversation. “I-I don’t know about that. That sounds like a lot of interaction. I had really been planning on grabbing a lot of books from the library while people were away and then reading them in my room that night.” She was scared, extremely scared, of a party with that many people. But she wouldn’t allow herself to miss out on a chance to get to really open up about her feelings to the boy who’d enchanted her. “I. I’ll think about it.”

Sylvain smiled warmly. “Alright. Just let me know, okay? I’m going with Ingrid and Linhardt, and we’ll make sure you don’t have anybody else bothering you that night, okay?”

Bernadetta nodded, and made her way back to her room. She held the gift Byleth had made her, gingerly tossing it between her hands. Could he really like her? Maybe what Sylvain said was true. The concept of that made her heart swell, but her nerves prickle. She was loathe to admit that she had thought of the two together, but she couldn’t miss out on the opportunity either. She had to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading! I enjoyed being able to write other characters this chapter, I love a lot of Three Houses characters even though I'm focusing on Byleth/Bernie. I'm very excited for the next chapter, as I hope you are too.


	6. Ball So Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After much anticipation, the day of the ball is finally here.

After weeks of anticipation and preparation, the ball was finally at hand. The atmosphere on the monastery grounds was electric. The fashion-conscious among the students prepared their carefully planned, stunning outfits to dazzle those they had feelings for. A few, interested in decor, were helping prepare the ballroom with the rest of the staff at the monastery, eager to spruce up the usually drab monastery accoutrements with their own unique designs. And one was standing in her room, trying to convince herself to actually go to the party in the chance she’d get to speak with the boy she’d fallen for, head over heels.

The hour was beginning to draw late - seven p.m., the sun was nearly setting - and yet Bernadetta still paced around her room, muttering to herself arguments both for and against stepping out to the monastery ball. “There’s no way he’ll even look at someone as lowly as you,” she hissed at herself. She flopped down onto her bed, her mind involuntarily conjuring the words Sylvain said to her the day prior. “Maybe he’s right. Maybe I should go.” She imagined the professor taking her hand, sweeping the two away to a grand ballroom with only the two of them, alone but together.

Her chaotic daydreams were interrupted by a slow knock at the door. “Bernie?” A languid voice she knew well came from outside the door - Linhardt. “Sylvain asked me to come get you, we’re about to head over to the ball and he apparently thought you might come with us?” Linhardt’s voice sounded exasperated, but she wasn’t sure how much of that was due to his natural drowsiness and irritation with Sylvain making him do something, and how much was that he expected her to decline - it was difficult to imagine Bernie enjoying herself at a dance with this many people.

Despite this, Bernie didn’t immediately answer with a “no” as he had expected. She answered with a trepidatious “hold on” and quickly pulled on her hooded jacket, gave a small hug to the plush Byleth had made her that was now sitting next to her plants, and swung open the door. With perhaps too much passion in her voice, she loudly announced, “I’m gonna give it a try!” Several people nearby briefly glanced in her direction, startled by the volume of her voice. Linhardt, apparently unfazed, merely beckoned her on to where Sylvain and Ingrid would be meeting them. Suddenly, the reality of the situation became clear to Bernadetta, who had previously been able to ignore the fact that she was actually going to a ball and oh my Seiros there’d be so many people there.

No. She couldn’t give up. She had to at least give it a try, if only for the professor. She could just stay in the corner, hidden behind the few compatriots she knew would leave her alone, and wait for her chance to talk to him. Linhardt walked at his usual relaxed pace, whereas Bernie walked at a pace far too quick for the sleepy boy to keep up. Within a few minutes, they’d arrived at the corner of the monastery courtyard where Sylvain and Ingrid stood, dressed to the nines - Sylvain in a sharp suit jacket and Ingrid in a flowing dress. Bernadetta internally cursed herself for not dressing up, but frankly, she felt more comfortable in her hoodie anyhow.

“Bernie! I’m glad you joined us.” Ingrid smiled. Bernadetta wasn’t super familiar with most of her classmates, but she had made some contact with them in class. Still, she wasn’t comfortable around them, but their kind tones did help.

“Ah, the casanova arrives!” Sylvain winked at Bernie. Seeing the look on her face, he softened his tone. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Is Linhardt with you? We should probably get going soon.”

“Ah, he was walking with me, but he must have fallen behind-”

“I’m here, don’t worry.” Linhardt turned a corner, stretching his arms. “You walk too quickly, Bernie.”

“S-sorry.”

“Don’t let it get to you, Bernie.” Ingrid glared at Linhardt while providing support to the nervous girl. Ingrid led the group to the ballroom. Standing outside, muffled violins could be heard playing within, as well as the chatter of all the students and professors who were currently inside. Bernadetta leaned up against a wall, taking deep, slow breaths. Ingrid took her hand. “Come on, let’s go in and get something to drink.”

The ballroom was stunning. Bright lights lit the room, revealing the decadent decor that had been setup for the ball. Around the edges, tables were set up with a feast of hors d'oeuvres and various drinks, a far cry from the usually frugal monastery meals. In the center, some of the more suave students had already begun dancing. Claude, it seemed, was the most popular of the students, with a small collection of men and women surrounding him asking for the next dance. Along the far wall, monastery staff, including many of the professors, leaned against the walls and partook in conversation. After a few moments of searching, Bernadetta’s eyes found the object of her affection, currently engaged in what appeared to be small talk with Seteth. She was transfixed for a moment, before Sylvain gently nudged her out of the entrance path so that she wasn’t blocking the entrance.

Her vision occasionally flitting back to the mercenary boy across the room, Bernie was able to weather the storm of her nerves, staying in the corner with the sleepy Linhardt, listening to Sylvain and Ingrid alternate between flirting and bickering. “So, Ingrid, can I have this next dance?” “Absolutely not.” The conversation they were having faded into the background noise as Bernie remained resolutely focused on Byleth. He wasn’t dancing, he was barely eating anything, he honestly seemed to be having not very much fun at all. Perhaps that was the curse of being a professor, even one as young as most of his students - responsibility meant you couldn’t have that much fun.

Despite the fact that Byleth had been spending most of the night having what seemed like boring conversations with church officials like Seteth and Rhea, students kept coming up to him, seemingly asking him for a dance. He demurred, waving them away while maintaining humility. Suddenly, the barriers to anxiety Bernadetta had put up started to come crashing down. Of course she had no chance. If true superstars like Claude and Hilda couldn’t get dances with the professor, what hope had she?

Her anxiety quickly overwhelming her, she fled the ballroom. Searching the monastery grounds for a place to find, she decided on the Goddess Tower. She sat down, and immediately her brain started to spill out all of the negative thoughts she had been ignoring. Of course he wouldn’t care about you if he won’t even dance with the most popular people at the monastery. Of course there was no point to going out to this. Everything she knew about herself was true. Unlovable, doomed to solitude…

A tap on her shoulder. When she looked up, blue hair and a kind smile met her gaze.

“B-byleth? What are you doing here?” Her voice was shaky.

“Ah, I couldn’t stand it in there any longer. Far too stuffy, and listening to Flayn and Seteth argue was getting on my nerves. I could ask the same of you, though. I saw you leave so suddenly - is everything okay?”

She wasn’t sure how to respond to him. She couldn’t really admit that she realized he wouldn’t care for her. Instead, her gaze fell and she merely stated, “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“I understand, I won’t push. If you ever need to talk about it, though, I’m always here.” Byleth sat down beside her. “I told you I’d always be there with you, after all.”

Bernadetta nodded. “Thanks, Professor.”

Byleth smiled. “You know, this place is pretty far from the ballroom, but I can still hear the music, even though it’s muffled.”

Bernadetta was puzzled. “I suppose.”

“So,” Byleth stood up. “I think there’s still time for a dance. May I?” He held his hand out in Bernadetta’s direction.

She wasn’t sure how to react. She stumbled to her feet and took his hand. “I’d love to.” To the tune of the distant, slow violin music, the two began a dance. Neither of them were particularly skilled at dancing - it’s difficult to be trained in the performing arts whilst a mercenary or while locked in your room - but still, she wouldn’t have it any other way. She intently focused on the movement of her feet, counting out the steps to avoid tripping over Byleth. One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three. Soon, she felt the rhythm, and no longer had to focus so much on her steps, and raised her gaze to the boy she danced with. He also seemed nervous, but he still smiled back at her, raising Bernie’s heart rate by a significant margin effortlessly.

As the song came to a close, the two executed a gentle spin, a savvy flourish to cap off their awkward dance. Their dance had taken them out to one of the platforms in the Goddess Tower that was open to the air, the two of them lit by moonlight. They stood silently for a moment, still in each other’s arms after their dance. Bernadetta knew she had to seize this moment. Looking up into Byleth’s kind eyes, she stuttered out most of a question, repeating what Byleth had said to her earlier. “Um, may I…?” She couldn’t finish the sentence but she didn’t need to. Byleth nodded firmly, and she rose up to him for a kiss.

It was short, but the two of them finally embraced. She wasn’t sure if this whole event had taken minutes or hours - to her, it felt like an eternity. She had few more words, but her anxiety was gone. Totally at peace, she held Byleth’s hand, looking up to the stars. “This was nice.”

Byleth spoke in a tone much quieter and more peaceful than he usually used. “It really was.”

They sat in silence together, hands entwined, for a while longer (neither of them had a good grasp on time, so they were unsure how long it was), until the calls of Ingrid were audible from beyond the tower.

“Bernie? Are you okay? We’re heading back now, and we don’t know where you are!” The pegasus rider’s voice was clearly worried. With that, Bernadetta stood up, dusting off her tights.

“I should be going. But thank you, Professor.”

Byleth smiled back at her. “You should call me Byleth. And good night.”

“Alright… Byleth.” Her voice was hesitant, but happy. She skipped back, finding Ingrid at the base of the tower. They rejoined the larger group with Sylvain and Ingrid, and once Bernadetta had been dropped off at her dormitory, the other three agreed - they weren’t sure what happened, but they had never seen her that happy or relaxed before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was super fun to write, between the start of the romance and also getting to write some of the other characters. Hope you enjoyed!


	7. The Eisner Family Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING: Please have played through at least Chapter 9 if you care about story spoilers.
> 
> Jeralt and Byleth have a heart-to-heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING: Make sure you've played through at least Chapter 9 of the Blue Lions route before reading today's chapter. We are starting to get into legitimate spoilers for Three Houses. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The graves were away from the normal hustle and bustle of the monastery. There, apart from the rest of the world, stood Byleth and Jeralt. They stood in quiet contemplation at the burial site of the woman who had been Jeralt’s wife and Byleth’s mother. Clearing his throat, Jeralt broke the silence. He was never any good at the sort of sappy stuff, but he knew he had to have a discussion with his son about his future.

“So, Byleth. I guess I had better talk to you about this now. You’re almost at the age where you’ll start thinking about marriage. I want you to have this.” He held out his hands, which contained a small silver ring inlaid with glittering gemstones. “This is the ring I gave your mother. Take this, and give it to whichever girl or guy you end up thinking you can have by your side for the rest of your life.” He noted the look of shock on Byleth’s face, and clarified. “Not now, of course. You have lots of time. But when you feel stable, and your life is a little calmer, think it over.”

Byleth took the ring and pocketed it, with a firm nod. He was never good at talking with Jeralt in general, let alone about such a heavy subject in such a somber place. Jeralt, sensing his son’s discomfort, tried to lighten the mood slightly. “Be sure not to choose too quickly though. I hear from some of the students you’re already chatting up some girl, hm?” Byleth protested, but he couldn’t fully deny the accusation. Neither Byleth nor Bernadetta had been particularly public about their budding relationship, but the sudden change to her referring to him as Byleth, along with her general improved spirits, was hard not to notice. Somewhat sheepish after having been figured out by his father, Byleth said his farewells and went off to prepare his next lesson plans.

* * *

The peaceful reverie that had swept the monastery following the ball was quick to dissipate. Reports were coming in about chaos in nearby Remire Village, and suddenly every student was being assigned to train even more than the already strict monastery schedule usually required. The professors, for their part, were holed up in the various faculty rooms. The air of Fódlan itself felt like it was closing in around the monastery, and the professors had to find a way to clear the chaos. Everyone at the monastery was exhausted. Byleth only sometimes managed to make it back to his quarters for sleep, sometimes being found in the morning draped across a chair in the common rooms, a pile of maps and tactics drawn up in his hands. The occasional archery training sessions that had become standard between him and Bernadetta fell by the wayside as well, another unfortunate casualty of the mobilization of the monastery. They were able to speak after lectures rarely, which provided a morale boost for the both of them, but it was still a stressor on such a new relationship.

Last night, Byleth had managed to drag himself to his bedchambers, and expected to awake this morning only to return to his work of cartography, military planning, and marking diplomatic targets. Difficult, exhausting, but ultimately calm. Instead, his slumber was broken by a furious knocking at his door.

“Kid, you better get to the meeting hall soon. The situation in Remire Village has worsened. We need you up and at ‘em.” Jeralt’s voice boomed through Byleth’s small accommodations. 

Byleth felt his blood run cold. Worsening situations was never a good sign, let alone in something as bad as this. He jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes and arrived at the meeting hall, where the rest of the faculty looked on as the young professor who had obviously just got out of bed ran into the room.

“Glad you could join us.” Hanneman sounded slightly upset, but perhaps that was just the stress of what was obviously a bad situation getting to him. Byleth sat down as Jeralt began to explain the situation in Remire. Total chaos, people seemingly committing violence at random, no end in sight. Before anyone actually suggested it, Byleth knew he’d have to bring himself and his students there to fight.

* * *

With a small army at his command, Byleth and his students effortlessly took down the bad actors at Remire Village. The growing threat of the Flame Emperor and their subordinates was worrisome, of course, but Byleth was just happy everyone would return safe. When Monica gave Jeralt a hug in exchange for rescuing the village, he was glad to see appreciation for his father, who had fought valiantly. When she pulled out a knife, his blade was too slow to save Jeralt. His Divine Pulse didn’t save him either. Another of the Flame Emperor’s soldiers was ready, somehow aware of the professor’s abilities. Monica and the rest of the Flame Emperor’s remaining allies fled shortly after, but the damage was done. Ever since joining the monastery and embracing Sothis, Byleth had felt his previously muted emotions open up, but this had broken the floodgates. When he arrived back at the monastery, he returned to the grave site where his mother was buried, nestled himself in the corner, and burst into tears.

The week after, Byleth barely appeared in class. After laying his father to rest, Manuela and Hanneman offered to take up most of his teaching duties until he had improved. He shut himself in his room, unable to make it out except for food when he could no longer manage to ignore his hunger. Tonight, as with others, he lay in bed. The tears he had shed meant he could cry no longer, so he merely wrapped himself in his blankets and prayed for sleep to take him soon. Before he could drift off; however, he heard a slow, quiet knock at his door. Spending the last of his energy, he rose and opened the door. On the other side of it was the violet-haired girl with whom he hadn’t been able to spend much time recently. One of her hands carefully balanced a tray of food and tea, the other hid behind her back.

“I noticed you hadn’t been out today, so I figured you’d want something to eat.” Bernadetta’s voice was filled with worry for her professor. “Can I set this down?” Byleth wasn’t sure how to react. He wasn’t used to these sorts of kindnesses, even from friends. He motioned to a table in the corner of his room, and Bernadetta moved to place his food there, careful to keep her back faced away from Byleth the whole way.

Byleth sat down and began devouring the food. He didn’t realize how truly hungry he was - that probably wasn’t helping with his exhaustion, but he wasn’t in the right headspace for rational thought. Bernadetta sat across from him, not touching the food but sipping the tea she had brought - the same berry blend that Byleth had brewed the first time they had tea. When Byleth had finished most of his meal and seemed to have slowed down, Bernadetta spoke up. “Byleth, I know this is very hard. I don’t know how to help, except that I wanted to make you something to say thank you for all the training you’ve given us, and how much you’ve helped me personally.” Bernadetta revealed a small teddy bear from behind her back. The bear had deep blue hair and a somewhat stern face, but it remained cute. Byleth took it with a smile.

“Bernie, this is…” Byleth couldn’t find the words. “I love it. Thank you.” Byleth gave it a small hug, and Bernie giggled.

“I’m glad you liked it, Byleth.” She watched as he observed it for a small while, then took the now empty tray. “I should probably get this back to the dining hall before somebody gets mad. Get some rest, okay?” Feeling a sudden burst of boldness, Bernadetta blew Byleth a kiss as she closed his door. Byleth couldn’t see her anxiety flaring up as soon as she closed the door, cursing herself for doing that. She, similarly, didn’t know he appreciated it greatly.

Byleth set the bear on the side table near his bed. It couldn’t replace what he’d lost - nothing could - but he still appreciated it. He’d had a positive effect on people’s lives, and he was cared about. The bear watched over him as he wound down for the evening.


	8. The End of the Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The monastery air continues to darken. War is on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING: This chapter contains spoilers up through the Blue Lions timeskip. This will be true of the rest of the story from now on as well. Hope you enjoy!

The monastery air hadn’t cleared any since the incidents at Remire Village. Figuring out the source of the Flame Emperor, the Death Knight, and their army had Byleth and his whole class busy and stressed. Byleth, only recently able to conduct class again after the death of his father, managed to hold himself together only just, though his schedule had returned to having a veneer of normalcy. While research and planning took up much of his time, he still managed to find moments in the week where he could relax. These moments, increasingly, were spent in the kitchen with Bernadetta. Their cooking together had become one of the highlights of his otherwise fraught and nerve-wracking weeks at the monastery. For a few hours, the two were able to throw off the bonds of chaos and enjoy each other’s company for a while. Between trying out new recipes for post-training dinner that Byleth was sure would help improve the energy of his students and indulging in various sweets (Bernadetta enjoyed making brownies, and stealing a kiss from Byleth while pretending to get batter off of his cheek), the two spent the time they had together with a sort of energy that seemed to fight back against the encroaching darkness.

Still, their lives had more responsibilities than couples’ baking. It seemed the Church of Seiros was poised to be a flashpoint in a conflict that threatened to engulf all of Fódlan. It was funny, that. Less than a year ago, Byleth had no plans to change the ways of his life - forever an emotionless mercenary with few interests beyond surviving another day. Now he had a fulfilling role at the monastery, teaching his students the art of war. His mind flitted to the future - once the storm clouds lifted and peace returned to Fódlan, as it surely would, would Rhea keep him on as a professor? Would Bernie stay with him? That last thought gave him part hope for the future and part anxiety over what might happen, but he banished it as quickly as it had arrived. Now was not the time to worry about such things. He had more pressing matters to worry about than the long-term fate of his love.

Bernadetta, for her part, had similar worries about her future. Her anxiety had improved by leaps and bounds in recent months. Her friends could attest to that - she still spend more time in her dormitory than any other student in the monastery, but she often found herself speaking with Sylvain about writing or Leonie about gardening with little to no worry in her heart, at least until she thought about it too much. Friends. She rolled the word over in her mind - when she first came to the monastery, her making friends seemed impossible. Now, it was just a fact of life. That was without even considering her boyfriend. Despite their mutual workloads, she treasured every moment the two got to steal for each other. She wished she could stay at the monastery forever. She didn’t want to go back home. She felt almost comfortable here. Could she stay here with him forever?

* * *

When Byleth met Solon on the battlefield, he was prepared for anything. With his now well-trained group of students behind him, and a relic with the power of the goddess in his hands, he thought there was no chance anything could go wrong. When Solon defeated Byleth with a wave of his hand, his students didn’t know what to think. Bernadetta rushed to his side, but Byleth wasn’t there anymore. Byleth was speaking with Sothis.

“So, you’ve failed.” Sothis looked at Byleth, existing somewhere between realities, with scorn. “And yet there are still things you have yet to do in your life. How are we to resolve that?” Byleth was slightly stunned. It wasn’t easy to figure out what was going on when you had just died. “I suppose I will grant you my strength. You have paths yet unwalked, young Byleth.” The next thing Byleth remembered, he was cutting a hole in the sky with his sword, slicing through the air and through his enemies with ease. His students were shocked - the professor they thought they had just seen fall was currently dispatching his enemies with ease. When the last of the Flame Emperor’s soldiers fell, Bernadetta nearly tackled him the force of the hug she gave him. They hadn’t been particularly public about their relationship, but the emotions were overwhelming, and the rest of the students had the tact to save their teases for a time when things were calmer.

With her arms wrapped around Byleth, Bernadetta’s voice came shakily. “I - I. I thought you were dead.”

Byleth returned the hug. “I’m not quite sure what happened myself, but I’m okay.”

The two were inseparable as the two returned to the monastery, fondness reforged by the close call. As they trudged back to the monastery, their hands entwined, Bernadetta commented on the new state of Byleth. “Your new hair fits you, Byleth.”

* * *

The next month was a whirlwind. The Flame Emperor was unmasked in the crypt, and suddenly the monastery life Byleth had become used to was collapsing around him. Edelgard was trying to destroy the church, and the Adrestian Empire was coming for Garreg Mach - coming for him, partly. Bernadetta had made the choice to stay with her professor and the rest of the Lions, but there was no time for romance. The monastery was built to defend itself.

In the little time the two did have, their worries about the future went unspoken. They had enough anxieties, and even though they knew that they each had their own concerns for what would happen after the war, they didn’t talk about them. The moments they stole for each other were precious, and they preferred to take those moments in silence. They would sit in the dining hall, a peaceful calm between them, perhaps interrupted by an occasional kiss.

* * *

As Adrestian soldiers flooded in the monastery courtyard, Byleth cut them down, alongside his students. Bernadetta gave him cover, shooting any soldier who got too close when he was otherwise occupied. She didn’t have time to look at him longingly, she just knew what she had to do to protect her love. Love. That’s a word she’d have to say to him, once this skirmish was over.

As Byleth and the Lions advanced, Edelgard came into view. She was strong, but still no match for Byleth’s power of the Goddess. Unfortunately for him, she didn’t need to be. She pointed out at the valley, a giant army approaching the monastery. Byleth charged out into the army, alone. Bernadetta tried to follow him, but Rhea commanded that she stay back. She obeyed, having faith he’d return safe.

Byleth wasn’t quite sure what to do. He knew he had to succeed. He had to defeat the army. He had to save Garreg Mach. He had to protect her. He couldn’t bear if something happened to her. Bernie was the last thing on his mind as the structure he was fighting under collapsed, burying him in rubble.

* * *

When Byleth came to, he once again stood in Sothis’ chamber. “You’ve fallen once more. It’s been quite a while since you passed out, Byleth.” The goddess’ voice rang throughout his head. “You had better get back to it. I’ve saved you again, but your strength is still needed. Plus, there’s someone waiting for you.”

Byleth stood, stunned. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been out. Was he dead? The last thing he remembered was falling beneath a pile of rubble. “Someone is waiting for the Goddess’ power to save them?”

“No, Byleth. Someone has been waiting for you. For five long years.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was sort of a transitory chapter, but I promise next chapter has been my favorite to write so far, so please look forward to it.


	9. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five years later, they find each other again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're now post-timeskip. There's a slight canon divergence in the story here, but I think it makes for a better tale. Hope you enjoy!

The mercenary boy stood up, displacing the stones that had covered his corpse for years. Could he really call it a corpse? He wasn’t quite sure how the Goddess’ powers interacted with the rest of the world. He didn’t have time to worry about it. He had to figure out what had happened. A nearby commoner from the town of Garreg Mach caught his eye, and he ran over to him, panting, out of breath.

“Hey, buddy. You alright? You don’t look so good.” The traveler looked at the disheveled mercenary with shock.

Byleth managed to get a question out between deep breaths. “What - what year is it?”

That certainly wasn’t a question the commoner had expected to hear. With a look of shock on his face, he replied, “1185. You know, the millennium anniversary of the monastery. I don’t know where you’re from, friend, but I figured someone in Garreg Mach would know that much.” He continued with a sigh, “Not that that means much anymore. There’s hardly any of the monastery left, let alone any desire for a celebration.”

Byleth’s heart sunk. Without his guidance, of course the monastery would fall - they were barely holding it together when the war began even with him. Still, he couldn’t accept it. “The monastery is gone?”

“Gone is a strong word, I suppose. It’s ruins now. I think there’s a few people who still live up there, but it’s certainly not the officer’s academy it was before the war.”

The soul-crushing despair Byleth had felt just a moment before had a small flame fight back - a light in the darkness. “Who? Who’s still there?” Byleth was practically shouting - robes covered in dirt and dust and hair askew, he looked like a man having a breakdown. In some sense, he supposed, he was.

The man from Garreg Mach was taken aback. “As far as I know, people say there’s a guy with blond hair up there who keeps the place clear of bandits, and an archer girl who will help out people in the town from time to time in exchange for food.”

Byleth’s soul found its second wind there. She was okay. Well, at the very least, she was still here, if she even remembered him. Abandoning all pretense of his dignified position, Byleth stuttered out a thanks and ran to the hill where the ruins of the monastery overlooked the rest of Garreg Mach. The man from Garreg Mach looked on, only slightly fazed by the bizarre man who had appeared from seemingly nowhere with no knowledge of the area since the war. How very strange.

* * *

When he approached the monastery, he had to slow down. He didn’t want to, but the uphill climb along with the treacherous terrain unfortunately forced his hand in terms of movement. He had been at the monastery for less than a year, but it still was troubling seeing the destruction that had been wrought. Many of the battlements along the edge of the monastery grounds had collapsed. It wasn’t clear whether they were destroyed in a battle or had succumbed to the elements. He wondered what had become of his students. Had they too succumbed to the cruelty of the world at war? He knew that Bernadetta was alive, and he assumed the other figure the man had spoken of was Dimitri, but what of the rest?

The once beautiful gates of Garreg Mach now stood before him. The doors had rotted away, leaving only the imposing stone archway. Vines had now claimed it, but the stone remained resolute as ever. Some parts of the monastery had been doing better than others. He ran his hand along the cobbles that formed the archway. So much history, destroyed for war. His thoughts were disrupted by a booming voice from within the monastery.

“You there. Out. Leave this place.” Byleth recognized the voice at once, more gravelly than it had once been, shaken by war, but the same voice. Dimitri. “I said go! If you don’t leave, I’ll be forced to hurt you.” The voice rang out once more, full of menace.

Byleth wasn’t used to hearing his former student’s voice so pained. He summoned what little energy he had left to shout back. “Dimitri? It’s me. Byleth? You remember me, right?”

Dimitri revealed himself from behind one of the piles of rubble. He looked different than he had, hardened to the world, an eye lost. “Goddess, it really is you.” Dimitri lowered his lance, walking up to his professor. “I thought you were dead at the battle of Garreg Mach.”

Byleth didn’t know how to respond. Responding with a So did I. would seem callous, but surely Dimitri wouldn’t believe him if he told the truth. “I’m… not quite so sure what happened either. But I’m here now.” Byleth leaned against Dimitri’s shoulder, exhaustion finally starting to strike him. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Safe is a strong word, but I’m alive. Do you want me to take you somewhere you can rest? I’m not sure if your old quarters are acceptable, but I’m sure I could put something together-”

“I don’t want to disrupt the reunion, Dimitri, but…” Byleth’s tone quieted. “One of the men in town told me there was an archer girl up here in the monastery with you. Is that true? Can you take me to her?”

Dimitri chuckled. It seemed so much more grim now than it had then, his airy laugh replaced with a much heavier, weary one. “So, the rumors were true after all. You and Bernadetta were dating? I had assumed she just became emotional after seeing you near death, but Sylvain and Ingrid both fervently swore you two were a couple.” Dimitri could no longer ignore the worry in Byleth’s eyes. “Yes, she’s here. She’s still in her old quarters. I can take you there, if you don’t remember the way.”

He did. He could never forget the place he had grown accustomed to walking to early on in his career as a professor, to deliver pep talks to the nervous archer girl. He walked that same path again, with a kind of swiftness that surprised even Dimitri.

* * *

The old dormitories had mostly survived, it seemed. Byleth still remembered exactly where to go - he was so used to delivering gifts and the occasional missed meal to the room he was headed for that he didn’t have to take a second thought. Bernadetta’s door loomed before him. He wasn’t sure what to say. Would she even remember him? Would she be upset that he’d been gone? No time to worry about that. Just like old times. Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Go away! I’m armed!” The voice was unmistakable. Shaky, anxious, but with a little more bite and power behind it than before. Hers.

“Bernie? It’s Byleth.”

After a few seconds, the door swung open. Byleth didn’t have time to make another statement or even to examine the girl within before she had pulled him into a kiss. Longer than any they had had before, it was imbued with the passion of someone who thought they’d never see the other again.

Bernadetta pulled away for a moment, shakily declaring, “I’m so glad to see you again. This - this isn’t a dream, right? Oh, of course this is just another dream where you show back up at the door to sweep me away, goddess, I’m so stup-” Byleth interrupted the nascent panic attack by returning with a kiss of his own.

“It’s real, Bernie. I’m here, I promise. It’s not a dream.”

She started crying tears of joy into the shoulder of Byleth’s cloak. Between sobs, she choked out, “I always felt you would come back - I knew it. But I didn’t let myself believe it. When you were there for me, I didn’t deserve you, and there was no way I’d deserve you back.”

“You deserve the world.”

The two sat down on Bernadetta’s bed, closing the door. Byleth examined his girlfriend’s - was she? Were they dating? He wasn’t sure then, and he’s certainly not sure now - new outfit. She had traded her previous hooded shirt for a more elegant purple dress, and her hair now looked like she had finally learned about the existence of combs, but her new looks suited her. She maintained the same energy as she had before, shy, anxious, but now perhaps slightly more independent? Her room looked very similar to how it had five years ago as well, but Byleth couldn’t help but notice that where a hedgehog plushie he’d made had been, now sat both that plushie and a small bear that resembled him.

“You know Byleth, there was something I had planned on telling you after that battle that I never got the chance to.”

“What’s that?”

She buried her face into his shoulder again, this time out of embarrassment rather than sadness. She wasn’t able to say what she planned to say looking into his eyes just yet. “I love you, Byleth.”

“I love you too, Bernie.”

Bernadetta spent some time catching Byleth up on what had happened. After the battle at Garreg Mach concluded, Bernadetta had fled the monastery for a brief time until it was safe, returning to her quarters.

“Why didn’t you return home? The Varley house is in the Empire, after all.”

Bernadetta’s eyes darted away. “First of all, they would know I had allied with the monastery. Also…” she paused, her voice shaking slightly. “I don’t want to go back home. Ever. That’s why I stayed here.”

Byleth pulled the clearly shaky Bernadetta into a hug. “I understand. You don’t need to get into it. I support you.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

The archer girl continued her tale. While the war went on, the monastery at Garreg Mach was mostly safe, and Dimitri, who had also stayed behind, mostly took care of any thieves or bandits who arrived. Not to say she couldn’t take care of herself, but she still preferred to stay in her room as much as possible. She’s had to deal with a few, though. (“I was okay, thanks to your great training.” She admitted to him.) She was able to take odd hunting jobs at the nearby town of Garreg Mach, which unlike the monastery was mostly undisturbed.

“Professor.” A stern voice at the door. “I pray I’m not interrupting anything, but this is serious.” Dimitri’s brief joy from learning Byleth had survived had evaporated, replaced with the cold killer’s voice the boy had earned from years of hardscrabble survival.

“It’s not a problem!” Byleth hurriedly opened the door to avoid accusation of impropriety.

“Good. Now, first, I think your quarters will be reclaimable with some eff-”

“Actually, can he stay in mine?” Bernadetta’s voice piped up from behind the two. “Also, can you close my door, Dimitri? Nobody’s allowed in my room but me and Byleth still.”

“Sorry.” Byleth stepped just outside Bernadetta’s room, allowing her her much-vaunted solitude. It seemed that some habits only broke for Byleth alone. “And, I suppose that can be arranged. You two have been waiting a long time to see each other again, after all. And second, there’s a critical issue you need to deal with, Professor.”

Byleth attempted to protest. “I’m not your professor anymore-” but he was interrupted.

“Your old students have returned to the monastery.”

Byleth couldn’t believe it. As he made his way to the main hall, suffering from the elements as it was, he saw his former group of students, recollected and regrouped. When he, shocked, asked why they were here, Ashe reminded him that they had promised to reunite for the monastery’s millennium celebration.

Byleth spent the rest of the night draining cup after cup of tea and being comforted by Bernadetta as she tried to convince him it would be alright, as Byleth faced the reality of being the leader of a ragtag group of soldiers once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this chapter and I hope you've had a good first two days of Halloween. I'm working on a Halloween-themed one-shot that should be out much closer to Halloween that features our favorite archer and mercenary together, as well as another ship. It won't disrupt the pace of this story, don't worry.


	10. Growing Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bernadetta shows Byleth her favorite hiding spot.

Much like Byleth himself, the monastery was being revived from the brink of death back to life. Many of the monastery’s support staff had taken refuge in the nearby town of Garreg Mach, and were easily recruited back to the cause of Seiros. The priesthood, except for the missing Rhea, also returned on hearing the news that the monastery was repopulated, eager to restore the chapel to its consecrated state. Byleth saw no need for lessons in the same sense as before the war, as all his former students now had years of experience in the world, usually in some form of combat. Instead, he led tactics meetings and planning sessions with the same commanding presence he had had as a professor. His former students gathered around the large table, a seat near the head of the table by Byleth reserved for the meek archer girl. (Most of his little militia had figured out what was going on by this point, if they weren’t already aware of it from before the war.)

The monastery certainly wasn’t at peace. The situation in Faerghus was critical after five years of Imperial conquer, and the state of the Leicester Alliance was essentially unknown to the group at the monastery until reports from their scouts had come in. This meant that Byleth’s meetings with his militia often took a patina of doom - preparing for the worst. What would happen if all of Faerghus truly falls. Could their small group fight against a fully captured Faerghus Dukedom? Would Claude and his armies assist them in fighting Edelgard, or were they too wrapped up in their own territorial disputes? Were they even safe in the newly reinhabited Garreg Mach, or would Imperial spies inform the Emperor of their budding resistance?

These worries, among others, flooded through Byleth’s mind at all hours of the day. He tried not to focus too much on these, but it still got to him. He had spent the last three minutes where he was supposed to be listening to a summary of recent intelligence by Felix trying to banish the fear from his mind, and failing.

“Professor. Are you listening?” Felix’s scolds broke through the distraction. “I put a lot of work into collating this information. If I knew you didn’t care, I could have spent that time training instead.”

“Ah! I’m sorry Felix, I was… lost in thought. How about we break for lunch, and then I’ll be ready to receive your report. I just need a while to collect myself.”

“Hmph.” Felix stood up from the table, clearly displeased. As he left, Byleth shouted after him, reminding him he wasn’t his professor anymore. This wouldn’t matter. He’d had this conversation with all his former students and the habit seemed too hard to break.

As the rest of his militia left the meeting room, Byleth put his maps and notes into his bag, preparing to go grab something to eat himself. Before he could stand, however, he felt soft hands on his shoulders. He turned, looking into the face of his girlfriend, smiling at him. Her face reflected an emotion somewhere between quiet concern and anxious excitement. “Do you think I could take you somewhere before lunch?” She asked, with a sort of shaky confidence had become more common to her as she became more and more comfortable with being forward with Byleth. “I’ve got something planned.”

Byleth was not one to turn down such a request from Bernadetta - spending time with her was always a joy. He happily let her take his hand, pulling him away from the clustered monastery center where the dining hall stood to the edge of the monastery, toward the greenhouse.

* * *

Bernadetta nearly spun with joy upon arrival. “You seemed so stressed, I figured I should introduce you to one of my little hiding places.”

Byleth was puzzled. “This is the greenhouse, Bernie. Everyone knows about this.”

“They know of it! But do they use it? Rarely. Plus,” she gestured to the myriad tables and supplies, “Plenty of objects to hide behind if someone does happen to come in.” Her eyes darted to the side for a second. “Also, the place has been mostly abandoned for five years, so it was mercifully peaceful for quite a while.”

Byleth hadn’t considered that. The greenhouse looked quite nice, and certainly hadn’t been the target of any of the recent monastery restoration efforts. Bernadetta must have kept this place together, and she had done so remarkably well considering how little support she would have had.

“Do you want to see some of the plants I’m growing this season? They’re so interesting!” Bernadetta grabbed Byleth’s hand and gently guided him to a table in the corner, filled with pots. In the front of that table, soaking up most of the sun, were a few Venus flytraps. “Look at them! They’re not _technically_ conscious, the mouth of the trap closes based on the insect touching little hairs on the surface of it, but it still looks so cool!” Bernadetta was working herself up with excitement. “Ah, I’m probably boring you. Sorry…”

Byleth shook his head. “Not at all, Bernie. I’m always happy to hear what interests you. Where did you learn all of that? I certainly didn’t teach you any lessons on botany when I taught here.”

“Well, the Empire didn’t care much for the library, beyond destroying some of the religious texts, so I was able to get quite a few tomes on plant life from there. There’s lots of other interesting plants, but these are my favorite.”

Byleth hadn’t considered the monastery library. She must have had plenty of time cooped up in her room with nothing better to do - it made sense she had learned so much. “You know, this place is fairly relaxing. I wouldn’t be opposed to helping you garden, if you could use my help.”

“Ah! Um… of course! I would love that.” Bernadetta’s response followed a general pattern that Byleth had noticed with her - immediate shock followed by excited acceptance. Her anxiety was calmed, but not gone. “Oh! Before we go, I almost forgot.” She pulled one of the pots in the back toward the front, and plucked a flower from it. “Another one of the books I found in the library told me about flower meanings, so I started growing this one for you in case you ever came back. I wasn’t expecting it to ever actually come in handy, but…” Bernadetta got on her tip-toes, reaching up into the hair of her taller boyfriend, and gently weaved the magenta zinnia from her garden into his locks. The flower was particularly striking against his green hair, and the flower Bernadetta had plucked was in full bloom, so it had bountiful proportions, easily noticeable from afar.

The two spent the next moment lost in each other’s eyes. “Thank you, Bernie. What does this flower mean?”

Slightly embarrassed, she replied, blush evident on her face. “Lasting affection. When I planted it, I thought I would never get over my love for you, Byleth. Now I know I won’t.”

It was Byleth’s turn to have his face flush, heart shot through by her honeyed words. “I certainly won’t be able to either.”

Their romantic conversation was interrupted by the sound of the monastery bell sounding. 1 p.m. Time for their meeting to resume. The two hurried off to the dining hall and grabbed what food was left, then returned to the meeting. Felix’s anger was only barely restrained as the man who had requested his report had returned late after ignoring the first time, and the rest of the militia was left to wonder what could cause the two to be so late, with Byleth returning with a flower in his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a lot of fun to write. Hope you enjoyed it as always!


	11. Recurring Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all just a bad dream, right?

Byleth and Bernadetta had taken to their shared living quarters very quickly. Bernadetta was, of course, familiar with solitude, but Byleth had spent most of his time as a mercenary very isolated. Because of this, some of the monastery had quietly worried whether the two would mesh well living together despite their love. These worries were unfounded. The pair found each other to be wonderful company after days at the monastery that often were stressful. If Bernadetta found the day’s required socialization overwhelming, she would be able to find quiet solace in the arms of her boyfriend. Byleth himself was no stranger to taking refuge in the love of his partner either, laying in the lap of his girlfriend as she played with his hair after more than one contentious strategy meeting.  
Today, after a long day of strategy meetings and training, the two were both exhausted. After a quick dinner, they returned to their room. Bernadetta collapsed dramatically onto the bed. “Byleth, I’m tired.”

Byleth looked at his girlfriend, who had splayed herself upon their bed with a faux pout on her face, exaggerating her exhaustion for effect. “You should get some sleep, then.” Byleth himself sat at their shared desk, preparing to pore over another status report on the Faerghus situation, the territories of which the Garreg Mach militia was about to begin to attempt to reclaim.

“But I don’t wanna sleep without you! Plus, the candles will keep me up.”

Byleth looked back to the papers, and knew where his heart was. Feigning defeat, he said, “Alright, let me get changed, we can tuck in early tonight.” He vanished behind a divider to put on his pajamas, while Bernadetta did the same. She pulled a light violet flannel over her head, then put on a pair of plaid pants of matching color. As she returned to her position stretched out on the bed, Byleth revealed himself from behind the divider. He had shed his normal complicated outfit for a simple woolen shirt and pants that hugged his toned muscle. _Goddess, she loved him so much._ She couldn’t help but think about it as she moved into a more sensible sleeping position and slid under the covers. Byleth followed her lead, snuffing the bedside candle before embracing his girlfriend. Bernadetta clinging hard to Byleth, the two fell into a deep sleep together, arms locked around each other and Bernadetta’s head resting on Byleth’s chest.

* * *

Adrestian soldiers flooded the monastery. The buildings burned, the air was thick with ash and smoke. Bernadetta looked out over the courtyard. Beyond the hill, Edelgard’s armies numbered clearly in the thousands, an unceasing flood of trained warriors who would certainly slay her, a traitor to the Empire, without a second thought. She grabbed her bow, nocked an arrow. She steadied her breath, prepared to loose an arrow at any enemies that breached the perimeter. Instead, her trusty bow snapped as she bent it back, now a useless collection of wood and string.

Defenseless, she retreated. She’d make her way to her dorm room. She could wait out this storm there, she’d been safe there so many times before. The sky darkening from soot, kept alight only by the flames of the monastery where she had found what little ability to stand up for herself she had, she made it to the dormitory. However, instead of being greeted by her stuffed Byleth bear and her bed, a monster burst forth from her safehouse. She felt a power coming from it - the Crest of Indech. Her crest. The monster towered over her, threatening to consume her. As its claws came down on her, she made peace with the end…

A scream rang out. She was in her bed, clutching her boyfriend with a death grip, drenched in cold sweat.

* * *

“Bernie? You alright?” Byleth spoke from a barely roused state, woken from sleep but the sudden scream he’d heard. He could barely make out his girlfriend’s face in the darkness, but it was exceedingly clear that she was not alright.

“I. Uh. Sorry.” Her voice was unsteady, and tears were welling in her eyes. Her grip on Byleth became somehow tighter. “I keep having these awful nightmares.”

“Do you want to go back to sleep, or do you want to talk about it.”

“I really don’t want to bother you, Byleth.”

That meant she didn’t want to go back to sleep, he thought. “It’s not a bother, sweetheart.” He wasn’t used to pet names, but he wanted to make her feel comfortable and loved. Gently, he unclasped Bernadetta’s hands from around his midsection and stood up. Striking a match, he relit their bedside candle, illuminating the room and his girlfriend, clearly still shaken from the experience. She sat up in bed, muscles tensed and eyes pointed downward. “Here, I’m gonna go get something from the kitchen to help out, alright?” He draped a blanket around her shoulders, keeping her warm, before walking with quickness out the door toward the monastery dining hall.

Bernadetta got up from bed and seized her stuffed bear that she had created to look like Byleth. She had given it to him as a gift before the war, and had reclaimed it from his room when he disappeared, to keep the memory of him. Now, he was back, but she still found comfort in it. Was it silly? Perhaps, but she preferred the feeling of safety to judgment that wouldn’t come when she was safe in her room.

Byleth returned, hands bearing a large jug of heated milk and two mugs, along with a small package of chocolate. “I thought you’d want something a little sweeter than tea for this.” He responded as he placed down the two mugs, carefully filling them with the warm milk. He broke off a piece of the chocolate into each cup. “This always helped me whenever I had trouble sleeping as a kid, I thought it might help. Or at least cheer you up.” He handed the mug to his girlfriend, still wrapped in a blanket and clutching her oversized bear.

“Thanks.” She took a large sip. “It’s good.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Do you want to talk about your nightmares?”

“Not… not really. It’s silly fears, really. I just remember the horror I felt at the battle of Garreg Mach, and it gets into my brain. I’m sorry for waking you up.”

Byleth gave Bernadetta a gentle hug, careful not to spill her hot chocolate. “Don’t be sorry. I promised to be by your side forever, right? That includes when you need my help.” They both took another sip in silence. “I get dreams like that, too, sometimes, you know.”

“You’re not just saying that to tease me, are you?”  
“No, I sometimes get horrible visions of what will happen if I’m not able to protect everyone. But that’s why I’m always glad to wake up with you in my arms. I know you’ll keep me safe if necessary, just as I will you.”

Bernadetta buried her head into his shoulder, crying tears of happiness. “Goddess, you’re so romantic, I can’t handle you. I don’t deserve you.”

He planted a kiss onto the top of her head, the only place he could manage. “Sometimes I think I don’t deserve you, yet here we are together.” The two finished off their hot chocolate and stole what few hours of sleep they could. They ended up sleeping in a little bit, but the extra time in each other’s arms was worth the needling they received when they woke up and were reminded that even the lovebirds need to show up to the strategy meetings on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the angst, but I can't help myself from writing it. Hopefully the playful Bernie in the opening soothed your soul enough - I think she'd be pretty silly when she was around people she was comfortable with. Hope you enjoyed!


	12. With You/Miss You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth has plans for the future.

Tragically, the monastery didn’t have time for everything to be hot chocolate and gardening. The war against the Adrestian Empire continued apace. With the power of Byleth’s tactical work, the training that each of the soldiers had put in, along with a little help from the Goddess’ power to turn back the hands of time, Fhirdiad had been recaptured with minimal losses. Along with support from the Leicester Alliance, Byleth’s group at Garreg Mach now prepared to take the war head-on to Enbarr, the Imperial capital. The battle for Fhirdiad had been a rout, but the mood in the monastery was still concerned. They hadn’t faced off against the full force of the Adrestian Empire since five years ago, at the Battle of Garreg Mach, and they all had grim memories of that day.

The training that day had gone well. Byleth had practiced his swordsmanship with Felix, whose irritation with him from the strategy meetings was ignored due to Felix’s respect for Bernadetta. He practiced his magics with Annette and Mercedes, proving that his mastery of reason was second to few, if not none. And last, he had practiced his archery skills with Bernadetta, who was receptive to the encouragement of her boyfriend and shot perfectly, Byleth unable to match her skill. 

“Goddess, you’re so impressive to watch. You’re going to make quite a good sportswoman after the war.” Byleth enjoyed praising Bernadetta in ways that hinted on romantic. He enjoyed the slight blush he could tease out of her face in situations like these. Today, however, she didn’t seem quite as receptive.

“Ah ha, yeah… after the war.” Bernadetta was downcast, absent-mindedly rubbing a hole in the dirt with her foot as the rest of the soldiers left the training grounds. “I uh… still don’t know what after the war will even look like for me.”

“Let’s try not to worry about it, okay?” Byleth’s words were not reassuring at all, clearly, so he followed up. “Whatever happens, let it be known I’ll be right at your side even after the war.” That did the trick.

“You’re right. Let’s just focus on winning this next battle. Then we’ll be able to relax and think about what we’ll do. Together.”

“Together.” Byleth embraced his girlfriend and the two shared a kiss. It lasted a little longer than they were used to, a reaffirmation of their faith in each other.

* * *

Byleth was pacing around the monastery. What would they do once this was all over? Ever since he had near miraculously risen from the dead, he had bent every effort toward the reclaiming of Fhirdiad, and then the assault on Enbarr. That was planned for this month. Assuming everything went well, and Goddess willing, it would, what would he do? What would become of his relationship with Bernadetta? He had become so, so happy spending time with her.

His mind flashed back to a conversation he had long in the past, and he knew where he should go to think. 

He sat down at the gravesite. He started speaking, in the vague direction of Jeralt’s grave, speaking somewhere halfway between ‘to himself’ and ‘in Jeralt’s memory.’ “Hey, Dad.” At least, he thought he was his dad. That was a conversation to another time. “I’ve been thinking about the future, and I just… wanted to let you know about what’s been going on.”

“I really love her. This is almost all over, right? And after the war, when everything is finished, I’ll be able to settle down. I guess… I’ll keep working at the monastery? If it still exists after all this. If we win.” The last side settled in his mind uncomfortably. Their last few battles had gone well, sure, but there were no guarantees. Every battle, someone came back more injured than the last. It was only a matter of time…. Plus, this time they weren’t fighting a small force of irregulars, this was the centre of Imperial power. There was a good chance that they would end up fighting the Emperor herself, and Byleth knew well how strong she was. He wasn’t sure...No. He needed a confidence boost. “When we win. We’re going to.”

“When we win, if the monastery stays alive enough to teach, I would love to go back to teaching. I think. I guess I didn’t really finish my first year at it, huh?” He chuckled to himself, but it was a sort of mirthless, dry chuckle. Not a lot of room for happiness, more anxious than anything. “Still. She’d stay with me, right? We could build a life here together, with her garden, and her writing, and… I’d find a hobby too, once I wasn’t constantly beset by fighting. Plus, I told her I’d see all the lands of Fódlan with her. That was back before I was even able to admit to myself I cared for her. She may not remember. But I still want it. I’m sure there are lots of places out there that are quiet that we could enjoy.”

“So, uh,” Byleth pulled the ring Jeralt had given him years ago out of his pocket. “When we get back from Enbarr, when all the dust settles. I’m going to give her this. I’m not sure if she’ll say yes - everything’s been so chaotic since I returned - but I hope she will. I just thought you should know, I guess. Thanks, Dad. Sorry you couldn’t be here.” He tucked the ring back into his pocket. His brain started going over how he would say it. How he would make sure everything was perfectly romantic, minimizing her anxiety, making sure it was perfect. He sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy for him. He had only got in touch with his emotions since Sothis started speaking to him, and in terms of how long he’d actually been alive, that was roughly, what, a year? Two? He wasn’t really sure.

Absent-mindedly, he left the gravestone, having said his peace to departed family. As he turned the corner, he bumped into Sylvain. The red-haired cavalier was standing against the wall, failing to look nonchalant, as if he hadn’t been eavesdropping. Byleth was too embarrassed to be angry, frankly, so his tone landed on lecturing. “Ah, so you heard that? I trust you won’t tell anyone.”

Sylvain’s demeanor was positive as ever, though a current of seriousness ran through it. “No, I uh… Alright, I admit, I listened, yeah.” His explanations came out desperately. “To be fair to me, at first I heard you talking and was just making sure you hadn’t snapped from the stress. But then I couldn’t stop. Uh. Sorry.” He sheepishly looked down at the ground. “But uh. I guess there’s one thing I should tell you now that you know I know. Back when we were students, Bernie and I used to talk about writing occasionally. She wasn’t social - of course, you know that - but she was excited to talk about it. And there was a measurable increase in her happiness after you two started dating. It was super obvious, sorry. But she was so much easier to talk to after that. I was really worried for her after you… y’know, but I had business with House Gautier so I couldn’t really stay. Anyway, I think you should go for it. You two are great together.”

Byleth was surprised by Sylvain’s bluntness. “Thanks, Sylvain. I think I will. Don’t spoil the surprise, though, alright?”

“Haha, of course not, Professor. Oh, but just because you two are good together doesn’t mean you can show up late. I’ve had to keep Felix from coming across the table at you when you ignore him because you’re exhausted. I know the allure, trust me, but you and her might need to wait until you have the next day off, that’s when Felix and I usually-”

Byleth cut him off, protesting. “No, Sylvain, it isn’t like _that_, I promise. But let him know I’ll try to get better sleep. I don’t want to make him an enemy, he knows where I live.”

The two laughed it off as Byleth returned to planning for the assault on Enbarr, hope for the fight and love for Bernadetta renewed and tempered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again! Hope you enjoyed Byleth's talk, sorry for the angst.


	13. Enbarr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war will end here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last warning: this has spoilers for the end of the Blue Lions route. Read with caution.

The path to Enbarr was long, days away. Byleth’s militia had set off, a veritable war caravan whose might looked strong now, but would certainly pale in comparison to the raw strength of the Empire. A fleet of caravans left the monastery, containing soldiers, supplies, and weapons of war along to where they would soon fight the Imperial armies in hopes of taking their capital. In an unmarked caravan somewhere near the centre of the pack, Byleth and Bernadetta sat, anxiously squeezing each other’s hands in a silent plea for safety. They both knew how dangerous this battle promised to be. They both knew that if they lost this battle, they would certainly not survive. Byleth alone knew that he had the power to change the timeline if he failed, but this was limited. He had to protect everyone. He had to protect her. He was going to make good on his promise to see all of Fódlan with her.

Bernadetta, on the other hand, had her own quiet anxieties. She was more accustomed to battle after all this time, but she knew this would be more difficult than anything she’d faced before. Moreover, even if they won, she had no idea what she would do or where she would go. She wanted nothing more than to stay at Byleth’s side, but there were no guarantees. She squeezed tighter. She didn’t want to let go. When night fell, she took her sleep by leaning into Byleth, almost laying in his lap as he snoozed against the side of the caravan. If this was the last night they ever got to spend together, she wanted to be as close to him as possible. On the last night before their final battle, they cuddled together, without weapons of war but rather with the warmth of each other.

* * *

When they arrived at the outskirts of Enbarr, Dimitri informed Byleth he planned to parley with the Emperor herself, and asked for his backup in case anything went wrong. Bernadetta clutched onto him harder, worried that this was a trap, that he wouldn’t come back. He gave her a kiss, a silent promise that he would certainly return unharmed, and that was enough for her. After so long, she trusted him. She knew he’d be back.

The discussion was brief, safe, and ended as expected. After all, if Dimitri and Edelgard had a chance to resolve their differences peacefully, it would have likely happened sometime before they were at the gates, threatening the whole city. Byleth and Dimitri returned, Byleth being embraced by Bernadetta immediately, and the group prepared for war.

Pegasus riders flew over the battlements at the gates. The archers in the Garreg Mach group shot them down. Bernadetta was on high alert, effortlessly taking down multiple enemies that were attempting to attack Byleth. She had practiced so much for this day. She would not let him get injured. As they passed the walls, Byleth likewise kept any attackers who attempted to get into close range of Bernadetta at bay. He didn’t want to cause too much harm, but they were at war, after all. He was used to this by now - minimize damages, but especially minimize damages to those on your side. Those that you loved.

The courtyard of the Imperial Palace was chaotic. The din of magic, swords, arrows, and cavalry surrounded the advancing army. Byleth was struck in the chest by a fireball, and staggered back. Immediately, Bernadetta took to covering him, as he used a small piece of faith he had learned at the monastery to grant himself succor. They kept pushing forward, and Dimitri entered the throne room to spar with Edelgard herself, backed up by Byleth and the rest.

The battle was swift. The end was slow. Dimitri stood silently, unable to reckon with the fact that his childhood friend and adult enemy was gone, that he had won. Byleth put his hand on Dimitri’s shoulder in quiet solidarity. Most of Byleth’s militia was safe. They’d won. As soon as he could, Byleth grabbed Bernadetta and spun around with her in celebration. He didn’t want to celebrate too much, but he couldn’t resist a small celebration in their safety. They’d have a larger celebration once they were home - back at the monastery. It was home for both of them, after all, wasn’t it?

Dimitri and most of the soldiers would have to stay behind. Toppling an empire did not come easily, and there would have to be a transitory period before things became finalized. Byleth and Bernadetta both wanted to return to the monastery in the first group, however. They were tired of war, tired of fighting. They wanted a moment to relax. In the caravan on the way back, the two cuddled together once again. The nerves of things changing hadn’t quite hit the two yet, but the relief of the war ending had flooded them, and close together by tenuous light the two drank a small sampling of wine before falling asleep together, comfortable and relaxed at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sort of a short transitory chapter this time, not a lot of romance, sorry, but necessary and I promise big things are coming! So don't give up hope, your teeth will rot out from fluff soon enough.


	14. Engage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth has something important to ask.

It had been a week since the official end of the war, and the two had returned to their lives at the monastery, now empty of any requirements of tactics and strategy. The monastery was at peace, but there was a quiet rift growing between the two. There were a lot of big questions hanging over their heads now that the war was over. Technically, there was no reason for the monastery to still exist as a base of war - Dimitri, presumably, would be taking over management of the Kingdom and assorted political wrangling. It was unclear whether the monastery would continue to exist as a school as it once had, or if it would once again molder into irrelevancy. Then there was the conversation of their futures. Would Bernie return to House Varley now that it was taken over by the Kingdom? What would Byleth do? They were both too timid to bring up any of these questions, so the elephants in the room hung over them, papering over their emotional fears with close cuddles and soft kisses.

This morning, Byleth woke up without his beloved in his arms. He wasn’t sure where she was, she had been right with him last night, as they read together in bed before falling asleep, her head leaning against his midsection, lit by candlelight. He stood up from his bed, brain worried but still mired in drowsiness. A quick scan of the small quarters the two shared confirmed what he expected - she wasn’t in here. Byleth knew where she was, he thought, but he didn’t know why, and he was worried. Still clothed in his pajamas, he burst out his door, running in the direction of the greenhouse, earning strange looks for the few other members of the monastery who had returned early as well.

The greenhouse was silent, as usual. It wasn’t well trafficked at the busiest of times, and most of the monastery had not yet returned from the battle of Enbarr. Because of this, from a corner of the greenhouse beyond a stack of bags of soil and fertilizer, he could hear the labored breathing of Bernadetta. She was clearly panicking, he recognized that much from her past anxiety attacks, but she hadn’t dealt with those in quite a while. He approached cautiously, trying to avoid startling her.

“Bernie? It’s me.”

Her voice was hitching. She was curled up against the edge of the greenhouse, and had clearly been crying. “How did you know I was here?”

“When you weren’t there when I woke up, I figured you might be hiding.”

She stood up, clearing the tears from her eyes using Byleth’s pajama shirt. “You know me too well. Once everything ended, all my fears for the future started hitting me, and it started a chain reaction. When I woke up this morning, it felt like all my old fears were back.”

Byleth gave Bernadetta a hug. “I understand.” He wasn’t sure what to say next. He moved slightly to oversee the carnivorous plants Bernie had been growing. “Your plants are looking good today.”

Bernadetta responded, her spirit clearly not lifted by his bromides. “Thanks. Sorry for letting all my old fears overwhelm me. I’m useless, as usual.”

“No, you’re not useless. It’s okay. Sometimes you can’t get rid of old fears forever. It’s important to just keep focusing on what makes them irrational fears, so you can convince yourself they aren’t going to hurt you. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the future. Can you come with me?” Byleth held out his hand. Bernadetta grabbed it, eyes downcast, and let her boyfriend lead her.

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere important.”

* * *

The Goddess Tower had mostly survived the war, and its sturdy form surrounded the two as Byleth led them on their small journey. Bernadetta hadn’t still fully calmed down.

“Oh god… all alone, far away, the perfect time… you’re finally going to get rid of me, aren’t you! I knew it!” She began to panic, but was interrupted by Byleth’s calm, firm voice.

“I could never do that to you, Bernie. I would never get rid of you.” That caught her attention. Byleth continued. “Even before the end of the war, I’ve been thinking about what I want to do with the future, once the war is over. Now it is. Rhea is planning on stepping down due to her imprisonment for so long, and Seteth wants me to take up her responsibility. As part of that, I want to keep the monastery’s Officer Academy open. Well, open it again, I suppose.”

“And you don’t want me to stay around while you’re busy doing important Church stuff, I get it. Sorry.”

“No! Not like that at all!” Byleth was slightly frustrated, but mostly focused on making sure his girlfriend was calm. “There’s one more part I didn’t get to. I uh, I’ve been thinking about us. Together. I remember how I felt when I first arrived at the monastery - I was cold, uncaring, very emotionally disconnected. And I met you, and I suddenly felt alive. I mean, I’ve been through a lot, through the war and my own personal… spiritual sojourns. And through all of it, I’ve been with you. I love you, Bernie. Please, I want you to have this.” Byleth pulled the small, silver ring out of his pocket. Jeralt had given it to him years ago, and now he was slipping it onto the finger of the woman he loved. “Bernie. Will you marry me?”

Bernie’s eyes went blank with shock. “I. I don’t know what to say, Byleth. I accept! Of course, I accept!” The two embraced, and Bernadetta continued, crying tears of joy. “You were the first person who really talked to me, tried to understand me… I love you so much. You helped deal with my anxiety, and you never yelled at me for being nervous or for having panicky moments. You support my hobbies and I can’t imagine a world without you, Byleth.” She leaned into a kiss, the longest the two had shared. Bernadetta’s worried mood was totally gone, replaced with the sort of playful, carefree mood she only showed around those she trusted completely. The two stayed together until night fell again, enjoying each other’s company in the Goddess Tower, laughing and feeling free together.

When dusk claimed the sky, Byleth started humming a small tune. The band that had played during the ball was gone, but he remembered the song the two had danced to. Together, the two danced under the night sky. Their movements were more practiced, more careful, more graceful than when the two had awkwardly danced outside the ball years ago. They felt the rhythms of each other’s hearts as they spent the night in reverie. When they fell together into bed, they both knew they had made the right decision choosing one another.

* * *

Seteth rubbed his temple. He knew Rhea never should have trusted this mercenary, especially not enough to let him ascend to the rank of Archbishop of the Church. Really, it sounded even more maddening to him the longer he thought about it. The mercenary who hadn’t heard of the church not five years ago was now its leader, by decree of his beloved Rhea, and as part of his first acts he was asking him to set up a wedding. Absurd!

He had to be polite, he supposed. “I’m sure you must know how unusual it is, Archbishop Byleth, for someone so high-ranking in the church to take a spouse.”

“I must admit, Seteth, I don’t. But you will not dissuade me. I would choose her over my new role as Archbishop any day. Now, will you officiate this wedding or not?” Byleth could be surprisingly cold when he needed to persuade someone as resolute as Seteth, and this was no outlier. Seteth knew Rhea would be furious if she found out he was disobeying the new Archbishop, and supposed he had no choice.

“Alright, Archbishop. I’ll see to it that it is set up. It will have to wait for the monastery to be fully functional once again, but it will be done.”

“Excellent. I assume you’ve read my proposal about restarting the Officer’s Academy as well?”

That, Seteth was much happier about. “Yes, Archbishop. Do you plan to teach at it when it reopens?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Perhaps I will after married life settles down, eh?”

* * *

Time passed, and more of the soldiers returned to the monastery. This week it was Sylvain, Ingrid, and Felix. The triad moved back into the monastery with varying levels of pomp and circumstance (really, it was a boisterous Sylvain whose energy was softened by the two more reserved members of the triad). The day after Sylvain returned, he found a manuscript slipped under his door. In careful, practiced handwriting, a note on the front read, _“Sylvain - added some more to the most recent chapter of the story. Let me know what you think! -Bernie”_. Sylvain had been editing a great deal of Bernadetta’s work since the two had bonded over her writing years ago, and he was always happy to give advice. A quick read through her latest changes - more lurid action from the two knights in love, which he always enjoyed - though he was more and more suspicious they were representative of himself and Felix, given their grumpy and energetic behavior, respectively.

Sylvain took the manuscript to the greenhouse, where he knew he would likely find Bernadetta. (The fact that he knew where to find her could be fairly irritating to her on her bad days, but was perfectly acceptable when things were going well and her social battery was charged.) When he found her, watering her plants with a small hum on her lips, he couldn’t help but notice a small silver ring on her ring finger.

Manuscript in hand, Sylvain faked a scandalized reaction. “Bernie! What in Fódlan have you been up to while I was away?” he exclaimed, pointing at her hand. He let her shocked, confused reaction linger for a moment before feeling bad and admitting his joke. “I’m happy for you! Can I help set things up?” Bernie was slightly nervous at the attention, but her excitement overwhelmed that, and she accepted his enthusiastic help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was extremely fun to write, and the next few were as well, so I hope you're excited for more fluffy time between the two. I also really enjoy being able to write other characters and how they interact with our two lovebirds. Thanks for reading as always! <3


	15. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting ready for a wedding takes friends and a lot of work.

Hearts aflutter, Byleth and Bernadetta both set out for their personal preparations for the big day. Neither of them were particularly romantically experienced, so they sought advice from others, though importantly, not from each other. Bernadetta was sure she’d read at some point it was supposed to be bad luck to talk about the wedding with each other before actual being married, and while the two weren’t particularly superstitious, one of them being granted the powers of a goddess certainly made even improbable curses seem like they could come true at any time. They also needed the help picking out clothing for the ceremony. Bernadetta was comfortable in a wedding dress about as much as Byleth was comfortable in a tuxedo, and that amount was critically low. Ingrid volunteered herself to help out Bernadetta, as she was one of the few people at the monastery that Bernadetta trusted enough for such a personal task. Sylvain went to help Byleth, whose fashion sense wasn’t horrific, but was greatly influenced by the somewhat spartan lifestyle of a mercenary he still hadn’t grown out of. 

Bernadetta found the process exhausting, but ultimately rewarding. Ingrid had less demand for perfectionism and aesthetic than some of the others that could have been conscripted into the process, which was perfect for Bernie, whose social energies depleted rapidly. She was glad to have a partner in crime for this endeavor who had similar feelings, and so Ingrid set out to find a fitting, understated dress for Bernie. The process took under two hours, with a few adjustments required that could be done by the staff at the monastery. Bernadetta offered to sew the adjustments herself, but Ingrid was adamant that she should not have to work on her own dress. Bernie retired to her room. Two hours of socializing, planning, testing different dresses - tomorrow needed to be an inside day.

Compared to Ingrid, Sylvain was a cruel taskmaster indeed when it came to tuxedo searching. Sylvain gave a great deal of very specific advice to Byleth on how best to woo Bernadetta when the day came. Despite his many exacting requests, Sylvain was very generous, helping Byleth find a well-fitting tuxedo and giving him some of his cologne. Byleth had no time for such things, though he supposed he may have to step up his personal decor if he was to be the Archbishop of the Church. Thoughts for later, he supposed. Seteth was sure to scold him more for being unfitting of the church’s highest position, so he could deal with that once he was settled in. For the war being over, everything was still moving so fast.

In separate parts of the monastery grounds, Bernie cloistered away in her precious greenhouse and Byleth casting a line into the quiet fishing hole, the two practiced vows. They hadn’t planned them together, preferring instead to surprise each other the day of. They both had so many things to include, they were spending nights muttering out the most important bits under their breath such as to manage their vows to a reasonable amount, lest they end up monologuing for an hour at the altar. Bernadetta retired to the room first, her plants sufficiently taken care of, and continued drafting and editing versions of what she wanted to say until Byleth walked in the door. The fish had stopped biting hours earlier, but he was stubborn and wasn’t about to let the fish beat him before the sun fell.

Byleth walked in the door to see his exhausted fiancee curled up in bed with a notebook and pen in hand. She tucked it away into her nightstand before he could see it. “Secrets.” she said with a wink, playfully teasing Byleth.

Byleth leaned in for a kiss. It still felt as wonderful as the first time. “You look exhausted, Bernie-bear.” Bernadetta blushed from that - the two still weren’t used to pet names of that calibre, but she was quite tickled by it.

“Yeah. Can we stay in tomorrow? Have somebody deliver in food from the dining hall? It turns out finding a dress is exhausting.”

Byleth stretched his arms, yawning. “I think I could use that too. Sylvain was… aggressive.”

“Oh, so that’s why you smell like that cologne of his.” She paused for a moment. “Don’t worry, Bylie. It’s good.”

After a brief moment, exhausting the last of the two’s energies, they changed into their sleepwear and curled up together, falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

The next day, the two enjoyed their well-earned “inside day”, as Bernie had become fond of calling it. In the morning, over warm cups of the berry blend tea the two had grown so fond over the course of the relationship - from their first tea time to now when they were engaged, it was an old reliable favorite the two could go to whenever they needed a pick-me-up. Bernie’s planning ahead meant they didn’t even have to leave the room for tea, all the necessary supplies needed were stashed away in a drawer. Today, as it had many others, it lifted the spirits of a worn-out archer girl who figured she was never going to get used to intense socializing at this rate, and sated the thirst of the doting boy who was ever at her side. It felt strange to think of him in such a way - he certainly had much loftier titles now, and she supposed that meant she would as well soon. Their mutual inexperience and awkwardness in romantic matters certainly fit those humble titles more than the gravitas implied by an archbishop.

Bernie watched her fiance carefully as he gently raised the cup to his mouth, recoiling from the heat of the liquid. She giggled, reaffirmed that the same Byleth she had known from his first days as a professor was still there. Beyond the man who had led an army, there was a core much different from how some might imagine. The way he often acted aloof to the world but emotional in private, the intense way he would talk about his fishing - she would almost call it dorky. _That_ certainly wasn’t a trait associated with archbishops, in her mind.

Bernie regaled Byleth with the stories she was working on, and Byleth told her tales of fish he wasn’t quite able to catch. “Are you sure you haven’t fished out that whole pond by now?” Bernie asked, enjoying the furor with which Byleth recounted the story of the legendary fish that Flayn had been begging him for since before the war.

“No, I’m certain it’s in there still! It keeps getting the better of me, but perhaps, with the power of Seiros…”

The two burst out laughing together. For all the responsibility their lives were sure to take on once things were more settled, they could have some of the fun they missed out due to the stresses of the war. Certainly, managing the church would be no easy task, but for now, before their wedding, Bernie was content with begging her fiance to go get lunch from the dining hall, and he was happy to oblige - making sure to get the ice cream they both enjoyed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time - the big day! Hope you're excited for these two to tie the knot. (Also, 20k words! Wow! This is the longest thing I've written by far, so I hope you're enjoying it!)


	16. Matrimony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a very important day in the lives of Bernadetta and Byleth.

Bernie was pacing back and forth in a small side room of the monastery’s grand chapel. It was going to be okay, she kept telling herself. She was filled with the sort of anxiety she didn’t usually experience - the fear she was extremely used to softened by the anticipation, the excitement. She had become better about her fears since she first arrived at the monastery all those years ago. She was currently able to convince herself that no, it doesn’t make any sense that Byleth would have set this all up to leave her and humiliate her. It was going to be okay. This was going to be the happiest day of her life, some told her. Her nerves were electric. She wasn’t used to wearing something as flashy as the wedding dress that currently clothed her. Since she had woken this morning, cozy in the arms of her fiance who would soon be her husband, she was unable to calm herself, but also unable to shake the excitement. Once, her anxieties told her she was unmarriageable, worthless. Now, she couldn’t help but realize she was anything but. She just had to make it through today.

A knock at the door, and a soft voice drifted through it into the small room where Bernie had been preparing. “Bernie? They’re ready for you out there.” Ingrid’s calm voice stirred Bernie from her internal diatribe. Taking a moment and a deep breath to still her shaky stomach, she opened the door. Ingrid led her down the hallway to the main chapel area. She’d been down the hallways of the chapel so many times during her time at the monastery and during the war, but the building that once loomed large with an imposing presence now warmly embraced her for this momentous event.

The hallway ended, transitioning smoothly into the main chapel hall. To her left, the audience. Byleth had no real family to speak of, and Bernadetta certainly had no desire for her parents to attend either, so the guests were made up of a small group of friends at the monastery. Almost all of the soldiers who had taken part in the battle of Enbarr had returned at this point, so their closest soldiers lined the guest seating. Many of them were planning to return to their own noble houses or venture out on other missions and had delayed this to attend the wedding, but none minded. They all had a great deal of respect for their professor-turned-militia captain and the shy girl who had blossomed to become one of their most feared fighters. Behind them were a few high-ranking members of the church and monastery staff, and Rhea, who had recently retired after suffering ill effects from her imprisonment. All in all, it was a close-knit set of guests. This was perfect for Bernie, she had to admit. Despite her excitement, she still would prefer as few people as possible to have their prying eyes on her were something to go wrong.

Of course, the guests were merely a sideshow to the most important part. Beneath the chapel’s vaunted ceiling, at the front of the grand foyer, the rubble had been fully cleared. The walls had been repaired. An altar had been erected. And there at the altar stood her beloved Byleth. With Seteth to his side administering the holy rites of matrimony, he stood awaiting the arrival of Bernadetta. He looked about as awkward in a tuxedo as Bernie presumed she did in a wedding dress, but she expected as much. Byleth’s mercenary past would never leave him fully, she supposed. Their mutual awkwardness was part of the charm that made them so good together.

The next thing she paid attention to was the music playing. Byleth, of course he had, had instructed the band to play that song that was playing the night of the ball five years ago. _Goddess, he was so romantic._ They had to find a second song at some point, though. Maybe she could get him into playing music once he had settled down some. If he had time for anything between church business and fishing, that was.

Her idle thoughts were disrupted by a poke in the arm. Ingrid’s voice whispered, firmly but gently, “Bernie. Go up to him.” Oh. Right. She probably didn’t have the time to stand here lost in thought. Summoning from within herself all of the grace and poise she contained, she walked carefully across the chapel to the altar, gently placing her hands on his as their eyes met. Suave as ever, Byleth made the first statement between the two. “You look stunning, Bernie-bear.”

The fact they were on a stage meant Bernadetta couldn’t do what she normally did when assaulted with such sweetness and hide her face in his cloak, so she took the compliment with uncharacteristic stoicism and fired back her own. “Nothing compared to you, Bylie.” The two spent another moment with their eyes locked together, smoky gray peering into deep blue. 

A small throat-clearing noise from Seteth indicated he was eager to start the proceedings. He still had reservations about the Archbishop of the church marrying, but Byleth had made his line in the sand clear and Rhea had privately given her blessing. Now, he stood at the altar ready to make their eternal bonding official and blessed by the Goddess Sothis herself.

“Friends of the Church, we are gathered here today to join Byleth Eisner and Bernadetta von Varley together in matrimony.” Seteth’s steady voice carried well throughout the chapel, easily commanding the attention of all in the hall. “The two would like to say a few words first.”

Byleth spoke up. He had planned these words over in his head well, and he wanted to express to Bernadetta now more than ever how important she was to him. “Bernie, when I first arrived at the monastery, I was unsure what to think of you. I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to train well cooped up in your room. I was even more confused when you asked to join my house. But the more I spoke to you, the more I came to appreciate every little thing about you. Despite your shyness, you have a lot of passion for the things you care about. You have a kind heart, and you’ve saved my life much more than once on the field of battle.” Tears welled up on the edges of his eyes. “There’s no one I’d rather spend the rest of my life with. I can’t wait to keep my promise to you and explore all of Fódlan together.”

When it was clear that he had finished, Bernadetta spoke up next. “Byleth. You’ve changed my life. When I first came to the monastery, I was scared of everyone. You broke through my shell, and helped me find enjoyment in even the smallest things. I know that my anxiety can be frustrating at times, and I’ll probably never fully get over it, but you were always at my side with a hug or a cup of tea when I needed it. I don’t want to ever leave your side.”

A motion from Seteth, and the two embraced. They shared a long kiss, arms wrapped around each other. They had had many late-night pillow talk discussions about the issue of last names. Byleth had no particular attachment to the Eisner name, but Bernadetta decided she wanted to break from her previous house as much as possible. As such, in that moment Bernadetta von Varley officially became Bernadetta Eisner. To the applause of the small group in attendance, the two danced the slow couple’s dance they were quite fond of before retiring to their quarters. They had asked for no reception, as Byleth knew Bernadetta would prefer to minimize social interaction after such a grand event. However, they both had several weeks of time alloted for a honeymoon wherein neither of the two had any work to do.

The two returned to their small room in the dormitories. Amidst the chaos of the war ending, they still hadn’t had time to move into their eventual home in the monastery’s upper chambers where staff lived. Despite the fact that this lodging was on borrowed time, Byleth carefully lifted Bernadetta off the ground and carried her over the threshold.

“So, do you feel any different?” Byleth asked Bernadetta as he lowered her onto the bed.

“Hmm… not particularly. I still get to go to bed cuddled up with you, so everything’s perfect, as far as I can tell.” Bernie giggled, exhaustion from the long day catching up with her.

“Mm. Honeymoon plans? This has all moved so fast, I didn’t have time to think of anything.”

Bernie pulled Byleth into the bed, sleep threatening to claim her at any moment. “In the morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an extremely fun chapter to write. I hope you enjoyed it! Also, I'm sick, so please send me your positive energies as we get ever closer to the conclusion of this fic.


	17. Reflections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth looks back on everything that's changed since the start of all this, and how he was lucky enough to get here.

The next morning, the monastery was more quiet than it had been since Byleth first arrived there after coming back to life. Most of the guests at the wedding had their own lives and houses to attend to, though they promised to visit. The Officer’s Academy was planned to re-open soon, but as it hadn’t yet, the monastery staff was at a skeleton crew. Byleth awoke first, crisp air running through his hair and the cry of birds audible as he went out on a morning expedition. His being married did not reduce his appetite for romance a bit. Early in the morning, long before he expected Bernie to be awake, he carefully extracted himself from within her grasp so as to not disturb her slumber, and headed to the nearly abandoned dining hall to prepare an early meal. The amount of people she had dealt with during the wedding the day prior had likely exhausted her socially, so he thought it would be a kind gesture to grant her energy before she had even left her bed.

The calm atmosphere of the kitchen in the dining hall was soothing to Byleth. There was a lot of work to be done around here - the monastery had to be refitted once more to be a school after spending so long as a base for war. Soon, he hoped, these halls would be filled with excited students ready to practice their combat skills for entirely less destructive means. Perhaps the war would weigh too heavy on the minds of some. He wasn’t entirely sure.

To the melody of a sizzling pan, Byleth continued rebuilding the monastery in his mind. There were still some corners of the monastery that were still not cleared of their rubble - they were fighting a war, not running a design competition, so non-critical areas had to be left for later. Those would certainly have to be dealt with. He wanted everyone who visited the monastery to feel the same splendor he felt when he first walked through those halls, tagging along with the three nobles who he had saved from brigands. Everything seemed so peaceful back then, he thought to himself. It was peaceful now, though. It felt different, having been through the war. Before then, he had only experienced combat as disconnected interactions with ruffians and bandits. Seeing war rather than skirmishes had put into context the low destructive potential of the common mountebank.

The cooking was complete, now all he had left was the plating. A large tray he produced from the kitchen’s cabinets was soon filled with some of the pair’s favorite dishes. Saghert and cream, a light salad, and a primary entree of fish. It was strange to eat fish for breakfast, he acknowledged, but it was one of Bernadetta’s favorites, and the two had always been a strange pair of people, hadn’t they?

Carefully carrying the tray back through the courtyard to the room where his wife hopefully was still asleep, he continued examining what would need to be changed about the monastery. He and Bernadetta would need to move to the faculty area, certainly. Their tiny living space had served for wartime, but a larger living space would be wonderful, and it would also give Bernie much closer access to the library. They may have to rework some of the curriculum - a battle of the Eagle and Lion is one thing when it’s a three-century old battle, and entirely another when it was last year. He also needed teaching staff. Were Manuela and Hanneman still available? He hadn’t heard from them in five years. For all he knew, they could be dead. He’d deal with that. He’d dealt with everything else. And of course, he would teach, no matter what Seteth said. He cared far more for the monastery than his position in the Church.

Casting thoughts of the future aside for the present moment, he gently opened the door to his living space. In bed, buried in layers of duvets and blankets, lay the woman he had just married. Sometime between five years ago and when he returned, Bernadetta had started taking better care of her hair, her violet strands more carefully organized. However, when she slept, her careful work was undone, and the messy, moppy style of her hair revealed itself once more. Byleth always found Bernadetta attractive, of course, but he had to admit he had some affinity for the way her hair seemed to have a mind of its own when not disciplined.

Setting the breakfast he’d cooked on their small table, he went to wake his sleeping beauty. Pulling back the duvets revealed the woman he loved, still clutching her arms around the spot where her husband had laid when they went to bed. The messy state of her hair was only a prelude to her pajamas, which were twisted around her, a combination of being thrown on carelessly last night due to drowsiness and her natural inclination to tossing and turning during sleep. She was so, so cute. He had to disrupt her sleep, sadly. With a small push on her shoulders, Bernadetta’s eyes slowly opened.

“I made breakfast, Bernie-bear.”

“Ah, thank you.” Her voice was heavy with sleep. “And good thing you were back before I woke up. If you were gone when I woke up I’d wonder if everything since you’d returned had all been some sort of cruel, unattainable dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fought through the sickness to bring you guys this. Next time - a very bittersweet moment, as it'll be the final chapter. Byleth has a promise to fulfil, doesn't he?
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	18. All of Fódlan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth has a promise he wants to keep.

Bernadetta hurriedly shoved a spare outfit and a set of her pajamas into a small messenger bag. Her movements were marked with the sort of low-key anxiety that she had become accustomed to as her more acute panic had become far more managed. Her nerves buzzed inside of her. Nervous excitement. She could get used to this.

A kind smile on his face, Byleth placed a hand onto her shoulder. “Are you sure you’re comfortable doing this? I know you don’t like to leave the monastery.”

Bernadetta gave a firm nod in return. “I want to do this. I can handle it.”

The two were standing in their new accommodations. With their honeymoon coming to a close, they had made sure to move into the faculty rooms before they had to start rebuilding the monastery in earnest. The room they stood in now was much larger than Bernadetta’s old dormitory room that they had bunkered in together. A much larger bed dominated much of the space, though at this point the two hardly needed the space, given how closely they tended to cuddle at night. The relics of the two’s early courting were placed along the shelves, stuffed hedgehog and Byleth-bear reminding the two of the simpler times before the war. A few of Bernie’s favorite carnivorous plants from the garden had been re-potted and placed into their room, silent guards of the quiet couple. Their weapons were hung near the door. They hoped not to need to use them often, but as Byleth now held a valuable position, it was better safe than sorry.

Today, the two had little time to dawdle. The light of their post-wedding time of freedom was growing dim, and they had a little adventure they wanted to experience together before that time was up. With that in mind, the two were packing up what supplies they would need for a few-day excursion. Bernadetta packed her things into her messenger bag, and Byleth counted out the supplies they would need. He had to sneak these, not because he wasn’t allowed to have them, but because he didn’t want to tell Seteth about his plan until it was too late for him to scold him over it.

Their things collected, and the day still young, the two prepared to set out. A quick stop at the greenhouse allowed Bernadetta to ease her worries about her garden, making sure every plant was topped off with nutritional soil and water. After that, Byleth expressed their plans to Seteth, earning only terse words in response. Still, he had no power to stop the new archbishop, no matter how unwise, silly, or dangerous he thought their plan for recreation might be. Hand in hand, the two set out into the rolling hills that surrounded the monastery.

* * *

The plains and forests that surrounded the monastery were truly beautiful when one could take in their beauty without the constant threat of warriors ending your life. (The two had their weapons on them, but they prayed they’d remain unnecessary, as they heard or saw no one else as far as they could see). Almost as if symbolic of Fódlan’s rebirth, the ground they walked was flush with plants of all types. Bernadetta took great joy in explaining what she knew about each flower they came across, especially those she knew had romantic meanings in flower language.

“Red camellia.” she stated, matter-of-factly. With a quick pluck, she took the flower from the ground and placed it behind Byleth’s ear. “You are the flame in my heart.”

“Is that what the flower means, or are you just saying that?”

“It can be both.”

They spent some time laying together in the grass. They were finally started to become less tense. They could go out without fear of skirmish or battle. Perhaps that would fade as Byleth’s position as leader of the Church became more well known, or perhaps they could keep the peace in the land that had experienced such tumult.

As day passed into night, the two gazed up at the stars, their hands clasped. This area may not have been that far from the monastery, as they’d got their in less than a day, but it still felt like such a carefree adventure compared to what they’d done in the past.

Her voice quiet, but calm, Bernie spoke. “Thanks again for taking me out here, Bylie. I couldn’t have imagined doing this years ago. I couldn’t imagine being with you as anything more than a fantasy.”

He pulled her close. “I made a promise, didn’t I, Bernie-bear? Together, we’d see all the lands of Fódlan. Tonight is step one.” He thought for a moment, then laughed. “Though, we may have to plan out future excursions a little more. Seteth was quite cross with me. Plus, we’re going to be busy. Do you feel confident enough to be the archery tutor at the monastery?”

Instinctively, she flinched, before coming a bit back out of her shell. “Maybe I could start by doing a seminar? Teaching immediately sounds scary.”

“Whatever pace you find acceptable. I’ll support you however you need it. I love you, Bernie.”

“I love you too, Byleth.”

A kiss held exquisitely long, and they set up their tent, and cuddled together beneath the night sky. Tomorrow, they’d return home, the day after they’d begin setting the monastery up to reopen for students and churchgoers alike. Tonight, they were together, and that was all they needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so, so much for reading. This is the end of this current fic, but I definitely plan to write more Fire Emblem stuff, including with Byleth and Bernie bc I love them too much. I left this kind of open-ended so that at some point I could come back and write about the two of them running the monastery, but I'm not sure yet.
> 
> If you'd like to stay in touch with me, I'd love to. I would love to have more friends to talk about this fandom with. You can talk to me on my [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/achileanvillain) and my Discord tag is Cam 🍍#6969. Yes the emoji is included, lmao.
> 
> If you made it this far, thank you again for reading. I truly hope you enjoyed this adventure.


End file.
